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Nebraska president: School won't restrict free speech of players
The people that want consequences for the three Nebraska players who knelt for the national anthem before Saturday’s game vs. Northwestern aren’t going to get their wish.
Hank Bounds, Nebraska’s president, posted an open letter to the school’s website Wednesday morning saying the school would not restrict the first amendment rights of any of its students. Mohamed Barry, DaiShon Neal and Michael Rose-Ivey took a knee as many other football players have done to protest racial injustice.
“College campuses, as much as any space, must be places where robust, even uncomfortable, debate is welcomed and encouraged. I want every student, faculty and staff member to know that I am unwavering in my support of your right to participate in these dialogues.”
I have served in the military. I understand love of country and love of the flag and I know that freedom is not free. I recognize that some are upset by what they saw on Saturday night. But let me be clear. The University of Nebraska will not restrict the First Amendment rights of any student or employee. Our position on this issue is abundantly clear. As stated in Board of Regents policy, which has been in place for almost a half-century: “Members of the academic community have the right to extensive latitude in making their opinions known… The public exploration and resolution of differing views can be successful only when groups and individuals discuss the issues in forums where the right to disagree, speak freely and be heard is preserved.”
Hal Daub, a Nebraska regent and former member of the United States House of Representatives said he felt the players should be kicked off the team for what they did before the game.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts called the players’ actions disrespectful and disgraceful, though his Twitter account responded Tuesday night to a message requesting further discussion from Rose-Ivey.
Rose-Ivey spoke about the players’ decision to protest during a Monday media session and detailed the reaction they received. Remember, this was before Daub made his comments to the Lincoln Journal-Star on Tuesday.
“Some believe DaiShon, Mohamed and myself should be kicked off the team or suspended, while some said we deserved to be lynched or shot like the other black people who have died recently,” Rose-Ivey said. “Another believed that since we didn’t want to stand for the anthem that we should be hung before the anthem at the next game.”
Bounds noted in his open letter, viewable in full at Nebraska’s site, that students’ speech is protected “whether they’re kneeling during the national anthem, holding the American flag on the field, praying after a game or expressing their opinion during class or on campus.”
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Nebraska coach Mike Riley said Saturday that Rose-Ivey spoke to the team before the game about what the players were going to do. He too supports their right to speak out.
“Michael approached me about it and wanted to talk to the team,”Riley said via Omaha.com. “And so we set a time this morning — after one of our walk-throughs — so he could explain to the team. I didn’t know anybody else was going to do it, but that’s OK. This is obviously a choice they have made for personal reasons and that’s the beautiful thing about the United States that they can do that.”
For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
