Soccer Federation Ends No-Kneel Policy, Removes Member Who Supports Standing For National Anthem
Paralympian and military veteran Seth Jahn who is also a retired soccer player and now a former member of the athlete’s council for the United States Soccer Federation was removed from the council for his ‘racist speech in support of the infamous anti-kneeling rule’ repealed on Saturday according to Yahoo sports. Jahn delivered a seven-minute opposition to repealing the policy.
The vote – 71% in favor with only a simply majority required – directly followed this sensational seven-minute dissent by Seth Jahn, a US Paralympian who is a current member US Soccer Athlete Council. pic.twitter.com/vH4Pc4vkT4
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) February 27, 2021
The council released a statement regarding Seth Jahn.
Statement from the Athlete Council regarding Seth Jahn. pic.twitter.com/lYhsdn9BZu
— Chris Ahrens (@chrisahrens) March 1, 2021
“At least two-thirds of the council voted to remove Jahn, determining that his comments had violated the “Prohibited Conduct Policy’s section on harassment.”
President Cindy Parlow Cone of the federation said, “Let me be clear, this is not about disrespecting the flag or about disrespecting the military. This is about the athletes’ and our staff right to peacefully protest racial inequalities and police brutality. So I urge our membership to please support our staff and our athletes on this policy.”
“I’m sure I’m going to ruffle some feathers with what I’m about to say, especially given the athletes council that I’m on, but given the evolution of our quote-unquote progressive culture, where everything offends everybody, those willing to take a knee for our anthem don’t care about offending half of our country when they do so, then I don’t have too much concern in also exercising my First Amendment right,” Jahn said in his remarks.
Jahn asked, “Where were the social justice warriors and the news journalists there to bring their ruminations to these real atrocities?”
“I stated that a small percentage of people in our country are responsible for the terrors of slavery hundreds of years ago, of which 400,000+ men died to abolish under our nation’s flag, I was in no way minimizing the horrors of slavery, I was simply illuminating the misplaced rage and squandered opportunities to bring to light the tens of millions of people who are enslaved TODAY … more so than any point in history. Persecuted people who I readily put my life on the line to recover from the predacious dregs who prey on them. I welcome any and all respectful debates void of emotion, and will gladly have an open dialogue publicly within (sic) anyone who was brace enough to place unwarranted labels on me from the safety of their mobile device,” he wrote.
Below is the U.S. Soccer Federation’s vote to allow players to kneel for the National Anthem