Most men ‘take a knee’ to show respect

I will not stand for Donald Trump. We live in the greatest nation in the world and at its core is the Constitution. The First Amendment states, “Congress will make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Taking a knee during the National Anthem is not disrespectful to our flag or to the nation. It is a sign of respect for football players to “take a knee” when a player is injured on the field. It is common for players to “take a knee” when receiving instructions from their coach. Most men “take a knee” to show respect when proposing marriage.

When the first football player took this pose during the National Anthem it was a sign of protest for the unreasonable harassment and killing of African-Americans. But Donald Trump has taken this sign of protest to a new level. When Trump says that professional athletes must stand during the National Anthem or be fired; or that their teams should be financially penalized, he is in direct conflict with the First Amendment of the Constitution.

All Americans have a constitutional right to free speech and the peaceful expression of grievances, and for a President of the United States to demand otherwise is a violation of his oath of office to “protect and defend the Constitution.”

Maybe we all should “take a knee” in protest of this president.

This story was originally published October 2, 2017 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Most men ‘take a knee’ to show respect."