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Social media explodes after NFL ruling on national anthem

Five Fast Facts: Colin Kaepernick
By Shelia Poole
May 23, 2018

Social media reacted swiftly to the unanimous decision by NFL owners that require players and personnel to stand during the national anthem if they are on the field, but gives them the option to remain in the locker room.

Related:  Olympian John Carlos, who raised a fist in 1968" on taking a knee

Related: NFL adopts new policy on national anthem protests

Related: Roger Goodell's statement on national anthem policy

Teams could face a fine if the new rules aren’t followed.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the decision is a matter of respect for the flag.

Former 49ers teammates Colin Kaepernick (7) and Eric Reid take a knee during the national anthem in 2016.
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According to ESPN, the NFL  Players Association said it would review the policy and may challenge it if it violates the collective bargaining agreement.

Several players, most notably Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, took a knee during performance of the national anthem to protest the killing of African Americans and other minorities by police.

Kaepernick is now a free agent, but no teams have picked him up since he first took a knee in 2016.

About the Author

Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.

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