"You will kneel for the national anthem"
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The lawsuit of Virginia Tech student Kierstien Hening begins with a simple statement: “Kierstien Hening refused to kneel.” The lawsuit filed this week against Virginia Tech soccer coach Charles “Chugger” Adair (in his official capacity) alleges that when Hening refused to kneel and support Black Lives Matter, she was benched, harassed and ultimately forced off the team. If the allegations are true, she could have not only a winning case but a case that could set important precedent for the freedom of speech.
Adair implemented changes after a mandated diversity training order from the Atlantic Coast Conference. We have seen such mandated training programs in colleges and corporations — programs that can raise concerns over compelled speech and viewpoint discrimination. As a state school, Virginia Tech is subject to the limitations imposed on the government under the First Amendment.
Hening alleges that Adair wanted the student to emulate former NFL Colin Kaepernick in kneeling before games and wanted to replace the name “Hokies” on the back of their jerseys with the names of people killed by police.
Again, Adair and Virginia Tech have yet to respond to this lawsuit. However, the allegations are extremely serious in my view from a free speech perspective. There is a crushing irony to the allegations. Kaepernick was allowed to kneel in protest in the NFL. However, now students are complaining that they are not being allowed to stand for the anthem without retaliation and harassment.
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I hope she wins enough to set her up for life and Coach Bozo is thrown out on his ear.
Always remember, Operation Valkyrie was an act of sedition.
Warning: I post things that interest me. Read and comment at your own discretion. -
Of course there is coercion, social or otherwise. I randomly drove by a local high school last weekend and on their electronic sign at the gate were three words, Black Lives Matter. That was in Walnut Creek, an upscale, mostly white city. Any guesses as to whether those student athletes kneel for any anthem played before their competitions? Or whether there is social coercion to do so?
But then, it's easy to overestimate the ability of human beings raised in a certain culture, to actually generate an original thought. I am sure the great majority of them believe, in their hearts and minds, that kneeling is the right thing to do.
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