Trump has every right to free speech, but his timing is off
Ed Koch, the late mayor of New York, delighted in offering salty opinions on sundry matters. He was often rebuked on the ground that he should be more dignified and stick to his knitting.
Koch’s response was that he didn’t lose his First Amendment rights when he became mayor. He was right, just as Donald Trump retains his free speech rights even though he lives in the White House.
Naturally, the president is being called “divisive” for his attack on the relative handful of NFL players who kneel rather than stand for the National Anthem. Commissioner Roger Goodell demanded “respect” for the league and some athletes whose politics lean left are piling on.
They all have free speech rights, too, but Goodell’s demand for respect is odd in the current context. Respect is a two-way street.
On substance, I agree with Trump. Players who bring their politics to work ought to find another outlet or another job, and their employers should have the guts to demand compliance with certain norms of conduct.
Fans also have the right to vote with their feet. Indeed, there is likely merit to the claim that the league’s TV audiences and attendance are falling as the protests continue.
As Ed Rollins, the GOP consultant and a former boxer, puts it, “No one goes to a ball game to watch someone blessed with athletic talent protest by insulting the views of millions of Americans who honor and love this country and its flag. If you don’t want to honor our flag and our country, stay in the locker room till the game starts.”
Amen to that.
Still, while Trump has a right to say what he said and his remarks will resonate with many Americans, especially military families, I confess a doubt about his timing.
In the midst of a nuclear showdown with North Korea, Iran’s continuing threats, severe hurricane damage in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and a stalled GOP agenda in congress, Trump’s plate already is more than filled. It’s not clear to me how pushing a hot button in the culture wars helps him win in any of those far more critical arenas.
Then again, as Koch often proved, distraction can be the best political strategy. In that case, we should be grateful that Trump is giving the country something to argue about that isn’t a matter of life and death.