Question

Donald Trump railed against NFL players who protested at Thursday night's preseason games, saying the players are outraged about "something that most of them are unable to define."

"The NFL players are at it again - taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their 'outrage' at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love," he tweeted from his Bedminster golf club on Friday morning, the ninth day of his vacation.

On Thursday, as the preseason games officially kicked off, several players took a knee, raised a fist, or did not take to the field while the National Anthem was played before a dozen preseason games across the country.

NFL players have said the protests, which began in 2016, are intended to draw attention to what they see as systematic bias against people of color.

"It's not necessarily about the anthem, that's where everybody's messing up," Tennessee Titans star defensive end Jurrell Casey told CNN last month. "The way that the justice system treats minorities is the issue that we have."

Trump has previously expressed an understanding of the reasoning behind the protests.

"I am going to ask all of those people to recommend to me -- because that's what they're protesting -- people that they think were unfairly treated by the justice system," Trump told reporters in June before boarding Marine One. "And I understand that. And I'm going to ask them to recommend to me people that were unfairly treated -- friends of theirs or people that they know about -- and I'm going to take a look at those applications. And if I find, and my committee finds that they are unfairly treated, then we will pardon them or at least let them out."

The President sees the issue as a political winner, using the protests to fire up his base. He told attendees of a private dinner last year, "It's really caught on. It's really caught on."

In another tweet, Trump also reiterated his belief that players, who don't stand for the National Anthem should be penalized.

He wrote, "Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest. Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!"

NFL players, in fact, do not take home a majority of the revenue from games. According to Sports Illustrated, in the current collective bargaining agreement, players get a lesser share than NFL team owners, calculated around 47 to 48%.

The NFL said it won't punish the players who took part in Thursday's protests, noting it had shelved what was supposed to be a new policy on anthem conduct until it reaches an agreement with the NFL Players Association.

Trump has slammed the NFL players since the protests began, suggesting the players be kicked out of the country and praising sports he says are more patriotic.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the ethical issue and/or dilemma presented in the case?

2. Apply ethical perspective/concepts to an ethical question and consider the full implication of the application.

3. State a position, and state the objection to, assumptions and implications of different ethical perspectives. In other words, what would you do? Adequately and effectively defend your position.

Answer 1

1. The ethical issue or dilemma presented in the case is that during the preseason games many NFL players knelt, raise their fist, or did not appear on the field, during the playing of the national anthem. Many other players of different teams also follow their ways to kneel for the reasons, that they also don't know. They did that to show their fury on the matters, they cannot explain in details. NFL players said that it is a protest against racial discrimination, which is continuing since 2016. Here the ethical issue is that is disrespecting the national anthem is a proper way of protest. By not standing properly, a person is disrespecting the nation, national flag, and all the dead soldiers which it symbolizes. There may be different reasons for discontentment but that does not give a person a right to disrespect his country, of which he is a part. The dilemma, in this case, is whether kneeling during the national anthem is an ethical way of showing protest.

2. The ethical perspective, in this case, is that whether showing this type of disrespect for the national flag in public is a correct way of showing displeasure about something. The ethical issues that can be used in this case are the -

If this option of showing protest is the best option that will cause the least harm to anybody?

This is not the correct platform to show the protest in front of the nation. Nobody has a right to disrespect his own country and the playground is not the stage for showing anger. This option will cause harm to many as disrespecting the country means to disrespect all the sacrifices of those soldiers who gave away their lives for the sake of the country. There can be many other ways to show protests but this option is not correct.

If this option of showing protest is good for the whole population?

By taking to knee does not represent the protest for the community as a whole. It is just the way of showing agitation of a few people. For showing agitation for masses, people should go for rallies e.t.c. and not on the playground.

Is this option of showing protest is correct and is respecting the other rights?

By kneeling in public can be a symbol of disrespecting other's rights, who are not a part of this protest. No person has the right to show disrespect for those people who are not a part of the protest.

Hence, these ethical questions must be kept in mind by the players before showing this type of conduct. They can be fined on these ethical issues or can be expelled from the nation.

3. I don't agree with the players as their approach according to tome is a bit unethical. Though they have the right to express their views in public, this did not give anybody the right to show disrespect to their nation. Moreover, they are all players, they go to participate in the games and not to address the public about their grievance. The players are not only disrespecting their country but also disrespecting their games. There are many other ways and places to show their problems in front of others. NFL should not allow their players to show their rage in public. they should be disciplined and show professional attitude during playing as they represent a team. They should also make the players understand the influence of their conduct on society. Their conduct will show a lack in their love for the nation and that is not the objective of their protest. Their objective is to get their rights and not to show a lack of patriotism for the nation. Rules must be made by the teams representing national games to stop this kind of conduct and a severe punishment for those not following the rules.