National Anthem Protest

[TXPanhandle]

Here's an interesting topic. I've recently heard numerous officials and crews discuss if their game experiences a team where a good majority of players and coaches decide to kneel (or lay down like in Oakland) during the national anthem that crew intends on excusing themselves from the contest and head home.I've heard another scenario where a player(s) may be flagged for UNS since our jurisdiction starts 30 minutes before game time and it's deemed bringing attention to themselves.

As far as I can tell there's no TASO policy being violated by an official expressing his/her own self. I've heard this from numerous officials in numerous chapters.

Thoughts?

[Joe Stack]

We don't get involved. PERIOD. Unless they are interfering with game administration per 9-2, we don't have anything. Maybe there's another reason we might get involved, but I can't think of it, but we're not going to penalize something that doesn't fall specifically under a rule.

[DallasLJ]

How is this a (a) advantage foul (b) safety foul or (c) interference with game administration.  Answer is -- ITS NOT.

  We are not there to bring our personal experiences or perspectives; religious, political or otherwise.  Would you refuse to do an allstar game with players from Japan, or Canada, or Germany, who simply mill around during the playing of our anthem.  Of course not.  Work the game -- do you job -- leave your personal stuff at home.

[mishatx]

I'm just there for the football, not the concert, not the church service. I'm not going to judge anyone's behavior during either because I'm not paying attention to them.

[The Roamin' Umpire]

Let me turn this around - the referee on one game told us (the other officials) that if any of us wanted to take a knee during the anthem we could go home right now.

It's not something that I would do because it would mostly draw attention to ME and not the issue in question, but I wasn't real happy with the statement from the referee, either. Any thoughts?

[Etref]

Let me turn this around - the referee on one game told us (the other officials) that if any of us wanted to take a knee during the anthem we could go home right now.

It's not something that I would do because it would mostly draw attention to ME and not the issue in question, but I wasn't real happy with the statement from the referee, either. Any thoughts?

Actually sounds like something I might have said

As noted above we are not there to draw attention to ourselves

[Zebra27]

That is not what we are there to do.  We are independent contractors contracted to perform a duty. Not to make a statement. Make a statement on your own time. We are also not there to make judgements about coaches or players statements about the anthem. 

In neither situation is it our place to interject.