What began more than a year ago with an NFL quarterback protesting police brutality against minorities by kneeling silently during the national anthem before games has grown into a roar with hundreds of players sitting, kneeling, locking arms or remaining in locker rooms – their reasons for demonstrating as varied as their methods.
Yet people rallying to defend players or decry the protests aren’t talking about police brutality, or the fact that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is no longer employed by an NFL team. Especially after President Donald Trump weighed in repeatedly to say that players should stand for the anthem or be fired for their defiance.
Before NFL games began Sunday, the discourse had morphed into a debate over the First Amendment, Trump’s insults, how much the NFL has been paid by the U.S. government for its displays of patriotism and the overall state of race relations in America.
Support and criticism came from fields well beyond the gridiron, including NASCAR, the NBA, MLB, activists, journalists, entertainers and politicians.
Some worry that the expanded reasoning for the protests – fanned by the president’s incendiary stance – could dilute the passion and the permanence of its original cause, drawing attention to interactions between police and minorities.
“The issue has morphed beyond that because Mr. Trump has interceded,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson said.
More than 200 NFL players and owners – even anthem performers – found ways to show dissent during pro football games over the weekend. Raised fists and other gestures came after Trump’s comments at a Friday night rally in Huntsville, Alabama, where he mused to the crowd: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now! Out! He’s fired. Fired!'”
Trump continued to criticize protesters Tuesday, saying in a news conference at the White House that he was “ashamed of what was taking place” with the kneeling protesters. Trump said Americans have died and been injured in defense of their country.
“They were fighting for our flag, they were fighting for our national anthem and for people to disrespect that by kneeling during the playing of our national anthem, I think that’s disgraceful,” the president said.
Trump’s remarks set off a firestorm on social media. Ken Miles, a community organizer and entrepreneur living in Harlem, created a petition on Saturday around the emerging #TakeTheKnee hashtag in response.
“This weekend was just a reminder of the role that power plays in this conversation,” said Miles, 32. “The president of the United States leveraging his influence to call out players exercising their rights is an abuse of power.”
The topic continued to dominate discussion in sports Monday as NFL players reflected, NBA teams met with reporters and Trump doubled down on his position with tweets, saying the issue had nothing to do with race and using the hashtag “#StandForOurAnthem.”
Trump has rallied those to his side who are less interested in athletes’ opinions than a perceived lack of patriotism. The American Legion has called the protests and protesters “misguided and ungrateful.”
“It wasn’t political when it was written and it shouldn’t be political today,” American Legion National Commander Denise H. Rohan said Monday. “Having a right to do something does not make it the right thing to do.”
Fans are also noting the mixed messages.
“The original issue was police brutality,” said Myles Conley, 42, a sales consultant from Atlanta.
“The issue has moved past police brutality. Now it’s … racism in the NFL.”
Conley said fans watch the NFL for entertainment and “now it’s turning into an activists’ platform,” referring to domestic violence, player safety, race and other issues.
Protesters have supporters as well, including NAACP President Derrick Johnson. “This isn’t about football; it’s about freedom,” Johnson said Monday. “It’s about the ability of Americans to utilize their constitutional rights without punitive actions from their employers.”
It’s unclear whether – or how – the momentum will continue. On Monday, Jackson called for a boycott of the NFL and picketing at pro football stadiums.
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