Response to player protests

[Altor]

I think I shared this story here last year when this topic came up.

Many years ago it was pointed out to me to take a quick look around the stands at a NCAA D-III football game hosted by a private Mennonite college. There were a few families who did not stand during the anthem. I asked about it and the person said that as Mennonites, they felt such a display was akin to idol worship and they refused to participate. In fact, the administration at the school in question debated dropping the anthem from all of their activities for the same reason.

These people weren't sitting around talking and laughing like some of the student sections I've seen. They were respectfully sitting with their heads bowed (possibly praying). I told the person that I respect their beliefs and that is part of what the flag and the anthem represent...the ability to not participate in something we disagreed with.

Fast forward a decade or two and we have this issue as a national conversation. Even though I might disagree with their reasons, I would be an absolute hypocrite if I did not ignore those that respectfully kneel in the same way I effectively ignore the Mennonites in the stands praying for our souls.