National anthem protests offensive

Ignorance is no excuse.

As I listen to the professional athletes who want to protest the national anthem, I wonder if they know the man who wrote it. I wonder if they realize what “minority” means.

Back to the writer of the national anthem: Francis Scott Key. This was a man who freed his slaves, who represented many slaves and their families against the cruelties of slavery for free in a court of law. Who was against slavery and was called upon his death the Negro lawyer as an insult to him and his family. This was a man who stood and fought for slave and black rights until the day he died. Look it up!

Now, you superstars who want to protest the national anthem. Really, I think you need to put the play book down and pick up a history book.

My personal feelings for the ones who protest is not to protest the rights of minorities, it’s to shine the limelight to you. Most of you play on teams that are not relevant or competitive and you are trying to make yourself relevant again.

I would ask you superstars when and why the anthem was written, and what it really means. We as a country were an oppressed people no matter what our color, creed or religion. Thus, when you say it does not have anything to do with the men and women who serve in the military and their country, who are you kidding?

Know what the “Stars and Stripes” stand for. Go to the Arizona Memorial, The WWII Memorial and many, many others. Then go to Gettysburg, hear the sounds and horrors of war and tell them they died for nothing. They died for you, yeah, for you.

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 2:12 PM with the headline "National anthem protests offensive."