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What does banning a book have to do with taking a knee?

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What does banning a book have to do with taking a knee?

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It "makes some people uncomfortable."

That was the explanation Kenny Holloway, a school board official in Biloxi, Mississippi, gave the Sun Herald newspaper last week, for the board's decision to remove from its eighth-grade curriculum a Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird."

"There is some language in the book that makes people uncomfortable," said Holloway. He said this like it was a bad thing.

In a nation where some educational institutions now deem it their duty to offer "safe spaces" and "trigger warnings" to protect their students from vexatious language or behavior like cartons protect eggs and bubble wrap protects china, maybe it is. So I beg your pardon for the heresy that follows.

Because, with pure hearts and noble intentions, these educators are doing nothing less than presiding over what I will call the stupidification and wimpification of this country. Having liberated the American mind from the tyranny of facts, we now seek to liberate it from the bother of contending with difficult words or ideas.

It "makes some people uncomfortable," he says.

By which he means the word "nigger." And yes, it is offensive. Indeed, if you are not African American, you may have trouble appreciating just how obnoxious the word is.

But it is also wholly appropriate to Lee's moralistic tale, set during the Great Depression, of a 6-year-old white girl in the deep South, watching her attorney father defend a black man unjustly accused of raping a white woman. When one of the locals tries without success to goad her father into a brawl, should the dialogue read: "Too proud to fight, you African-American-lovin' bastard?"

Let's be serious.

I am reminded of recent email exchanges with readers angry over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial oppression. These readers argued that protest should not make anyone - here's that word again - uncomfortable. One man said protest should "unify" and "educate."

Maybe that makes sense in a color-coordinated Pepsi commercial with Kendall Jenner, but it has nothing to do with reality. Did the civil-rights marchers seek to "unify" with Bull Connor's dogs and fire hoses in Birmingham? Did the colonists seek to "educate" when they committed the anti-government vandalism called the Boston Tea Party?

No, they were raising their voices, poking a stick in the eye of their oppressors. They were making them ... uncomfortable. We should be grateful they did.

And we should ask those uncomfortable people in Biloxi and elsewhere: Where did you get the idea you should be sheltered from history? What made you think you had an expectation of being shielded from truth? Who told you you had a right never to be made ill at ease?

Yes, I recognize the possibility - in fact, the probability - that some of those discomfited by Lee's book are African American. It makes no difference.

In literature, as in protest, the audience's discomfort is often a sign the message is being received. It can offer an invaluable opportunity to consider, reconsider, debate, teach, learn, reflect, and grow.

Or it can be an excuse to run and hide. In a nation where ignorance masquerades as authenticity, and the ability to think deeply and critically on difficult subjects has been mollycoddled into near oblivion, it is too often the latter. So I have no sympathy for those delicate folks in Biloxi.

"Mockingbird" is a seminal text of the American experience. Yes, it "makes some people uncomfortable."

That's the whole point.

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If 'To Kill a Mockingbird' makes you squirm, good!

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It "makes some people uncomfortable." That was the explanation Kenny Holloway, a school board official in Biloxi, Mississippi, gave the Sun Herald newspaper last week, for the board's decision to remove from its eighth-grade curriculum a Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird."

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..during the national anthem

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Political Cartoon/ the right to stand...or sit?

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Political Cartoon/ the right to stand...or sit?

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December 1, 1955. After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus a boycott was sparked. It wasn't about the buses.

February 1, 1960. Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil all sat at the all white lunch counter of the Woolworth's and waited to be served. Consequently they started the sit-in movement. It wasn't about the food.

March 7, 1965. Martin Luther King Jr. led a group of 600 people on march from Selma in an attempt to reach Montgomery, Alabama. They were met with troops and violence on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It wasn't about the roadways.

April 29, 1992. Four officers are found not guilty after beating Rodney King for a reported 15 minutes. Los Angeles then erupts into a five-day riot fiasco. It wasn't about the music.

August 26, 2016. Colin Kaepernick sits down during the national anthem for the first time during a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. Eventually the protest transformed into kneeling during the National Anthem across the NFL and other sports leagues. It was never about the song.

Lately it seems as if the only events that grace the media are the incidents of extreme police brutality. They display gruesome scenes of the very people who are meant to protect the public, violently attacking the American people.

The media are the ones who have brought these hidden secrets out of the dark and they have shoved the once swept under the rug cases out onto a red carpet for the public. But this limelight has also started to shine on a new form of protest manifesting within the biggest sports events.

Professional football players have started to take a knee during the National Anthem, and the simple action has caused a stark divide in political conversation. Instead of a normal Sunday night focused around the game play, players have used one of the arguably largest platforms to outwardly cast their opinions in a calm and respectful manner.

"No great advance has been made in science, politics or religon without controvesry." "

- Lyman Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe's father

In order to spark change, a controversy has to first identify the issue.

According to the 2010 census, which is the most recent census, of people who identify as one race those who selected African American make up a mere 13 percent of the population. Whereas those who only selected white make up 72 percent.

Statistically across the nation those who are shot and killed by police is an even spread amongst the races. For the duration of one year and six months between January 2015 and July 2016, 175 young black men were killed versus 172 young white men killed.

But the problem lies when you take into consideration the population and cases. The math proves black Americans are a whopping five times more likely to get shot by a police officer.

Yes, certain cases exist that do call for police to use their firearms. But for the 24 unarmed blacks and 18 whites that is simply not an acceptable action. Police are supposed to protect all life, and sometimes shooting a subject is the best way of protecting the public. Even then, it is only acceptable if the subject is putting another citizen or citizens in imminent danger. But if subjects are unarmed, a gunshot should never been used against them.

This is especially true, seeing as the police are supposed to be trained to divert situations with their weapons being their last resort. So for those who say there is no real danger, they are simply ignoring numbers. No one unarmed should ever be shot by police, no matter the race.

With that being said, the issue that is being protested by the players is prominent and real. It's a deep-seated problem that goes beyond police brutality. But in order to reverse the larger issues small actions have to be taken.

Taking a knee is a form of respect not disrespect, get it right.

Whether it be during church, while a player is injured, "taking a knee" to listen to a coach, at a fallen soldier's grave or even signaling an emergency to surrounding people: taking a knee is a sign of upmost respect.

So when a player decides to drop down to one knee it shouldn't be perceived as disrespectful when in its simplest form it's a sign of respect. When a knight would approach his king, he would kneel. Thus when a player kneels during the National Anthem he is acknowledging the people who have lost their lives not only on the battlefield but on the streets to other Americans.

A fallen soldier is the same as a fallen brother.

All the players want to accomplish is a little more peace in a world that is becoming more and more divided.

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December 1, 1955. After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus a boycott was sparked. It wasn't about the buses. February 1, 1960. Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil all sat at the all white lunch counter of the Woolworth's and waited to be served.

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During a U2 show in San Diego, the singer Bono reached out to Americans who feel discouraged and reminded them of the greatness of their country.

America "has become our second home," Bono said. "It's not just a country, is it? ... It's a great idea; it's one of the best ideas ever."

"A country built on hope cannot be driven by fear," Bono went on to say in the brief address in between songs. "A country founded on equality cannot allow hate to pull it apart."

On radio Tuesday, Glenn and Stu listened to Bono's words of encouragement in a time when Americans could especially use some perspective.

"What a great message," Glenn said.

GLENN: So what matters most today? What matters most? There's a lot of stuff that matters. Matters a lot. But to me, what matters most is trying to find ways to feel good about ourselves. But not on, I feel better because I just had a bowl of M&M's. Yeah, you're going to feel crappy after that. Once you finish it, you're going to feel crappy.

Something that's real. And we have lost perspective. Sometimes you get so close to something, you're like, "It's a blue dot. It's just a blue dot and a green dot and a red dot." Back up. Back up. Gain some perspective. You're too close. It's a Seurat painting. It's a painting of a park in Paris. "Oh."

And right now, Americans are too close and all we're seeing are blue dots, red dots, green dots. We cannot see - we don't have perspective at all on who we are.

And everything is - everything - you know, we didn't talk about this yesterday. I mentioned it. And let me mention it again. But we should talk about it.

Did you see what Facebook said about how they missed the - some of the influence advertising from Russia? Did you see this?

STU: No.

GLENN: So - what's his name running for president.

STU: He's not running for president at least. Mark Zuckerberg.

GLENN: Zuckerberg. So Zuckerberg said, "You know, one of the things we missed is they were setting up a lot of advertising for Black Lives Matter." Now, isn't that interesting?

STU: They were setting it up for Black Lives Matter.

GLENN: Russia was paying for ads for Black Lives Matter. Isn't that interesting?

STU: That is interesting.

GLENN: That doesn't seem to really go along with the Hillary Clinton, we want her out. We want Donald Trump in, does it?

STU: No. What was the explanation?

GLENN: There was no explanation, other than, that's one of the reasons they missed it.

STU: So you think it was they were covering themselves? Like, trying to send them off the trail? Or -

GLENN: No, no. They only want chaos. They only want us to rip each other apart. Do I think that Vladimir Putin would have liked to see Hillary Clinton win? No. Does that make him for Donald Trump? No.

I think what Vladimir Putin really wants is chaos in the West and chaos in America. He knows that Abraham Lincoln was right. If there's ever going to be a revolution, if we're ever going to kill - if America is ever going to die, it's going to by her own hand. It's going to be suicide. Because we'll just tear each other apart. And so that's what they're doing. They are doing everything they can to push every single button to tear us apart. And we're gladly going right along with it.

As we're watching - do you think Vladimir Putin and our enemies - any enemy of America, do you think they're not licking their chops when they see what we're doing this week, just with the NFL? They're laughing. This is great for them. Kim Jong-un, this is great for him. Because we're destroying ourself, because the thing that we always had was unity. We always - America - look, America is - I guess I'm the quintessential American because this is really the way I feel about me.

I'll get it right. But only after I've exhausted every other possible opportunity. Eventually, I'll get it right. That's America.

We'll get it right, but only after we've - only after we've tried everything else. But we do get it right. And we come together. When push comes to shove, we come together. When we do, we change the world. That's why we have to remain divided.

And there are people on all sides that want us to be divided. Because once we say, you guys, both of you, knock it off - see, the children - if you have children, you know this. The children know if they can divide mom and dad, they win. They win.

And that's why it's critical, as parents - if you're a new parent, you need to have a talk with your spouse and say, "We're never going to be divided." I don't care - I don't care if you've just told the children we're going to go out on a killing spree tonight. When they come to me and say, "Mom said we're going on a killing spree," I'm going to respond to them, "Your damn right we are." Then I'm going to come to you away from the kids, and I'm going to go, "What the hell are you talking about with the killing spree? We're not doing the killing spree." But as far as the kids know, I am all in on the killing spree.

Kids understand, divide mom and dad, and you're - and we win. They're toast.

Breaks up the family. The kids in our society, they know this too. And that is why - that's why you feel like looking at people on both sides and just say things like grow up. Because they're behaving like kids. And they are trying to appeal to either mom or dad.

It's why the adults, even though we disagree, I'm not going on a killing spree with you. Yes, we are, kids. I mean, yes, we are, kids.

The adults will have a reasonable conversation. But we have to be united. And because we are letting our emotions, we are letting our fear and our anger drive us, we are becoming part of the problem.

And it's because we feel as though we're under attack in every aspect of our life. We feel as though my kids are under attack. The culture is under attack. My job is under attack. My finances are under attack.

My church is under attack. My faith is under attack. Everything. Everything that I am.

I'm constantly under attack.

And as long as people can make you feel that way, they can control you.

But once in a while, somebody can come from overseas, somebody who has perspective because it's not their family. And they can remind the family exactly who they are.

Bono just did this in San Diego. I just got an email from the editor of 180.com. And he said, happened to be in a concert with my wife in San Diego.

You need - you need to hear this. This is Bono on stage in San Diego just a couple days ago. Listen.

BONO: This is a country that we love, a country that has become our second home. And you've been so generous to our band. And we don't take that for granted. We really love this country, and we love you. And it's not just a country, is it? It's an idea. It's a great idea. It's one of the best ideas ever. Is it not?
(applauding)
America. But if we're honest, that idea right now is in need of some encouragement. Some protection. A country built on hope cannot be driven by fear!
(applauding)
A country founded on equality cannot allow hate to pull it apart. Is that not true?

GLENN: Founded on equality.

BONO: We all have a stake in your success. We want the city on the hill to shine. We all have a responsibility to work for that promise. Because there's nothing - there is nothing this country cannot do when you work together as one. One!
(applauding)
The United States of America.
(music)

GLENN: What a great message.

STU: He believes it too.

GLENN: What a great message. That's what makes it good.

STU: Yeah, I mean, it really is. It's from the U2 tour, which is fantastic, by the way. I saw it in Dallas. And he did a similar thing there. I think that was after the time, after the shooting.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

STU: And he was talking about how we really need to honor, you know, Steve Scalise and the service he's put in - like, you would never hear a band do this, right? That's not what happens. But he was praying for Steve Scalise's recovery. I mean, it's fantastic. And he legitimately believes America is a great place and believes in the founding ideas of this country, even though you don't agree with him politically on everything.

GLENN: When was the last time you heard somebody say a country that was founded on equality cannot be ruled by hate?

STU: That's amazing because you don't hear that it's founded on equality very often.

GLENN: No. Never.

STU: And, obviously, there were major flaws in that. But it's just like we had heard earlier with Brad Meltzer, it's like, there's flaws in everybody. You know, this country is never -

GLENN: It's like looking at a Model T and saying, "Henry Ford was an imbecile. He was an imbecile because look at the Model T.

The Model T was an idea. It was an idea: Man doesn't have to use a horse.

What it turns into is up to the future generations. Yes, it didn't have air bags. I can't believe he wanted people to die. It didn't have air bags. They didn't think of it that way, at that time.

STU: They did the best they could. And, honestly, like, if you wanted something that could actually rejuvenate - you forget sometimes that we live in a great place. And you watch the news with all the kneeling and everyone fighting about it and all the division, stuff like that really does bring you - like a cool place. You can see the video. I guess we're going to have it up on GlennBeck.com. Or 180report.com is where it was submitted from.

But it's - Bono does this a lot. And I think because he's a celebrity. And because he occasionally says things that are liberal or things you might not agree with, people brush him off and throw him into that same sort of pile of annoying celebrities.

In reality, the guy freaking loves this country. And he's been consistent about that for a very long time.

GLENN: Somebody asked me the other day, if you could interview one person, who would it be? And I said, Elon Musk.

STU: Really?

GLENN: Yeah, but I think it might be Bono. If I could interview one person, it might be Bono. Elon Musk, for sure. But just ahead of him, maybe Bono. Because he has experience on both sides. And he sees it - he has grown and seen it. And seen it work and fail from both sides.

STU: He has incredible perspective. And he's a great interview. The guy, he's got a way with words. Elon would be interesting too because he's so connected to what's coming in the future.

GLENN: Yeah, I heard a quote from him. I watched an interview with him over the weekend. And I heard a quote from Elon Musk. And he said - they said, "Why are you - why are you doing this? Why are you doing all these things, and why are you going to Mars and everything else?"

And he said, "Because I want to be able to think of the future and be happy."

Isn't that amazing?

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: I want to be able to think -

STU: He's a pretty pessimistic dude.

GLENN: No, he is a pessimistic dude. But I thought that was interesting. I want to be able to look at the future and be happy.

SHOW MORE HIDE TRANSCRIPT

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'A Country Founded on Equality': Bono Encourages Americans with This Stirring Speech

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During a U2 show in San Diego, the singer Bono reached out to Americans who feel discouraged and reminded them of the greatness of their country. America "has become our second home," Bono said. "It's not just a country, is it? ... It's a great idea; it's one of the

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Who needs rules? NFL players are arrested every 7 days on average for PRISON term offenses...

The controversy over NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem has dominated the headlines for months. Anyone tuning into a nationally broadcast sporting event, or who has spent time on social media has noticed the growing trend of players kneeling when the announcers say "please stand for the singing of our national anthem."

It began last year when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick announced his decision to sit down or take a knee during the national anthem to call attention to police violence and injustice in black America.

#49ers Colin Kaepernick video Part 1 pic.twitter.com/WEPwqBucsh

- Cam Inman (@CamInman) August 28, 2016

Mass Live reports:

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STAND for Your MUG SHOT: List of NFL Teams That Have the Most Player Arrests

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Who needs rules? NFL players are arrested every 7 days on average for PRISON term offenses... The controversy over NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem has dominated the headlines for months.

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Do you believe the First Amendment protects speech that offends you?

If you can say yes, then you truly believe in free speech. But as National Review's David French pointed out in a recent piece, too many people will "zealously defend" the speech they like and bend over backward finding reasons to shut down speech from their "ideological enemies."

French joined Wednesday's "The Glenn Beck Radio Program" to talk about his piece on the NFL protests and why we need to listen to one another - even when we don't like what we hear.

He gave a theoretical example to show the other "side": What if President Barack Obama had threatened former football pro Tim Tebow's religious expression and called for the quarterback to be fired?

"You can't tell me that the entire conservative world wouldn't absolutely meltdown at that," French said. "We need to stop being so outraged about speech we disagree with."

In the article headlined "I Understand Why They Knelt," French asked some important questions:

* Who is a bigger threat, a few football players or the most powerful man in the world?

* How many leftists saying kneeling during the anthem is "free speech" think a Christian baker's religious freedom doesn't matter?

* How many conservatives who decried Google for firing an engineer with the "wrong" opinions think it's OK for the president to threaten the free speech of private citizens?

STU: So David French wrote an article. He's a senior writer at the National Review. And when I saw the headline, I had to find out how he got there. The headline was I Understand Why They Knelt. It's an amazing read. And he joins us now to talk about that. And also, Judge Moore's win last night.

GLENN: Okay. So, David, welcome to the program. Let's start first with Judge Moore, if you have any thoughts on that at all. What does that tell you? What happened last night?

DAVID: You know, it tells me that the populist wave that swept Trump in and the populist wave that is really dominant in the South is still dominant. I mean, we - a lot of people forget that Trump really capitulated - really began to lock down the nomination and Super Tuesday, which is a Southern-dominated primary. And if there's one thing - if you follow the politics of the South, if you studied the politics of the South, populism has sold here for generations.

GLENN: Yeah.

DAVID: So it doesn't surprise me at all.

GLENN: Populism in the South - this is why this is so controversial. And please, if you're listening in the South, instead of getting mad, let's have a discussion and talk about actual history. But populism in the South, really with reconstruction and even the Civil War, populists created this illusion that the Civil War was not about slavery, it was about state's rights. Which is so clearly debunked, if you just read the Confederate constitution. I mean, it's - you don't have to have any conversation on it at all.

But populism has swept the South up into this glory days of, this was about something different than slavery. And it is - it continues through today.

So I'm reading a few people, David, that say that Judge Moore is actually a great constitutionalist and a great conservative.

DAVID: He's not a great constitutionalist. I mean, this is a guy who - you know, he's a populist folk hero is what he is, because of the stand he took because of the Ten Commandments. He is a person who capitulated to fame by defying court orders, that were lawful court orders that he disagreed with. And so he decided to defy them. Now, look, that's all well and go when you love his cause and you hate the order that he's defying - you know, I'm somebody that's been arguing on behalf of the constitutional rights of students and faculty members and college campuses, and we pretty much bank on colleges not defying those court orders. I mean, if we have a world where you just defy the court orders you don't like, it's a lawless world.

But it made him a folk hero, for a lot of folks, especially for the folks who dominate a primary electorate in the state of Alabama.

And so it's nothing about this, is surprising. This is exactly what you would expect.

And I think the populist sort of wave has not abated at all down here. And I live in Tennessee. I live just about 40 miles north of Alabama. And you can feel it. The populist wave has not abated at all. They still support Donald Trump, but to the extent that they're disappointed with Donald Trump, it's mainly, we need departs from the populism of the campaign.

GLENN: Why is this dangerous? To the average person, David, they don't understand why the wrapping yourself in the flag and populism is a bad thing.

DAVID: Well, you know, often it's not based so much on ideas. It's based on an attitude. It's based on an anger, and it's based on a rage. And it's based frankly on a misunderstanding that this is the only way to win. This is the only way to defeat the left.

And so what you have are politicians who are capitalizing on emotion, they're capitalizing on feeling. And they're not advocating particular ideas. And what begins to happen when that happens is you start to define yourself by your opposition to the other side, as opposed to what you're for. And, I mean, you see this all the time. You see people who define whether or not something is good by the number - you know, the gallons of liberal tears being shed. And it becomes inherently divisive. It becomes devoid of ideas. And the odd thing is, as populism increases, you'll actually have greater rage, even with less ideological separation.

GLENN: Yes. Yes.

DAVID: I mean, think of the 2016 election. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were two of the least ideological candidates in modern times. Hillary sat on every side of every issue, except abortion. Trump had been on every side of every issue, including abortion. And yet, it was the most vicious race of our adult lifetimes. That's what happens.

GLENN: So I was talking to Brad Meltzer who is a great historian and writer, and we had a conversation yesterday. And I said, "We have abandoned the Judeo-Christian heroes. We have abandoned Moses, who was not a warrior. And we've abandoned Jesus, who was not a warrior. And what - I can't say this is true for the entire West because, you know, Europe still has enough of the fascist/communist love in them, that they like a strong man. But it's not the same as it is in the Middle East. And then when you went to Europe, it lessened. And we had Jesus and Moses. And when he came over here to America, we really believed for a long time, blessed is the peacemaker. Look for the humble person. Look for the quiet person. And, you know, walk softly."

We've abandoned all of that now. Haven't we lost the essence of who we are, if we can't get back to a point to say, "You know, the reasonable person, the quiet person, the peacemaker is the hero, not the one that punches people in the face?"

DAVID: Look, I think we're really on the knife's edge here, in the sense that if we don't turn back from this notion that character no longer matters in a president, for example, or turn back from the notion that the ends justify the means. Or to use a popular phrase from the left, by any means necessary.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

DAVID: You know, the polarization we experience now is only the beginning. And one of the more discouraging things that I've seen - again, you know, I live in rural Tennessee in the South - it's a very evangelical area. And the number of my fellow evangelicals who profess to believe that character matters in a politician has plummeted, plummeted. They don't even seek it anymore. They don't seek character. And character is destiny, in so many ways, as my colleague Jonah Goldberg is fond of saying.

And when you have low character, you're going to - the results that are achieved, the long-term cultural damage, all of those things are going - it's going to come back to bite you, to the extent to which you wrap yourself around people of low character. And that is a problem we're confronting in this country. And, look, it's on both sides. As the 2016 election demonstrates.

So I think you're right. I mean, we need to embrace people of high character.

GLENN: So you wrote an article for National Review. I understand why they knelt. And I can't believe your day was pleasant after posting this.

But you - you brought out something really, really good. You said, "Look, you know, everybody on the NFL, that is cheering for free speech, they're all too happy to stick the government on a tiny few bakers or florists who don't want to use their artistic talents to celebrate events they find offensive. How many progressives who celebrated First Amendment on Sunday sympathize with the college students who chant, "Speech is violence," and try to seek to block conservatives from college campuses. But then you went on to say: But as a conservative, I see many conservatives decry Google's termination of a young dissenting software engineer working overtime yesterday to argue that Trump is somehow in the right.

Yet Google is a private corporation, and Trump is the most powerful government official in the land. The First Amendment applies to Trump - the First Amendment applies to Trump, not Google. And his demands for reprisals are ultimately far more ominous.

DAVID: Right.

GLENN: Would you care to explain yourself Mr. French?

DAVID: Well, let's back up a minute.

I mean, what we're talking about is a protest that was petering out. I mean, Colin Kapernick was out of the league. There are a few people here or there that are kneeling. Then Donald Trump went and he didn't say, "I disagree with it." He said, "They should be fired." He called them names. He said they should be fired. Then in tweets, he didn't just go after, for example, these football players. He went after Steph Curry because of Steph Curry's reluctance to go to the White House. And then he even said, if people don't do what I say, there should be economic boycotts and reprisals against the NFL.

Now, this is the most powerful man in the world. And I want you to put on your thinking cap for the audience and say, "What happened if Barack Obama said, if Tim Tebow injects religion into the football field anymore and he kneels after a touch down anymore, he should be fired, that expletive. He should be fired, and then we should boycott the NFL." You can't tell me that the entire conservative world would absolutely melt down on that. And so what happened, you had the most powerful man in the world trying to dictate to these individuals how they should express themselves.

And, look, what happened last Sunday wasn't them - it wasn't the Colin Kaepernick/Black Lives Matter protest. That wasn't what happened on Saturday. What happened on Saturday was people saying to the president, you don't dictate how we speak.

So I absolutely understand that impulse, just as I would understand it if a whole bunch of players knelt with Tim Tebow to protest if Barack Obama did something like this.

And it's always very helpful to put on our thinking caps and say, what if the other side had done something similar towards somebody we perhaps like? Then it begins to clarify these issues.

My position though is, we need to stop being so outraged about speech we disagree with.

Our position should be rebut to bad speech with better speech. I didn't like Colin Kaepernick's protests. And I wrote that. And I tried to persuade people that his protest was not right.

STU: They will say though that you can't persuade these people, and somebody's got to strike back. That's what I hear all the time.

DAVID: Well, I know. I hear that all the time too, Glenn. The fight fire with fire. Got to punch them back. Let's see how well that works, okay? So we had, what? Ten, 12 NFL players the Sunday before kneeling.

So he punched back really hard. And what did we have? 200-plus kneeling. You know, this fight fire with fire, often what it ends up doing is it makes you feel good because you're really, really mad, but it doesn't accomplish what you want.

What it actually accomplishes is more division. What it actually accomplishes is more rage. And what it actually accomplished was mainstreaming kneeling for the national anthem and for the flag. That's what he actually accomplished.

And I'm saying, let's turn down the temperature. And let's respect free speech. And let's not freak out when somebody disagrees with us. Let's have a consistent view that says the United States of America is a place where people have the right to be wrong, and I'm going to try to persuade them when they're wrong.

But even if they stay wrong, I'm going to tolerate that. And I'm going to be okay with the fact that there are going to be people who are wrong in this society. We'll never create a utopia because we've got to learn how to live with each other when we don't agree with each other. And it's not by saying, I want to fire people who disagree with me, and I want to fire people who offend me. That's the wrong way to do it.

GLENN: David, thank you for making members of the audience uncomfortable today with your speech. Thank you very much.

STU: So one of the things I really like about David French and his writing is, there are times I will go into an article, not know what to expect, and it will challenge what I'm thinking. And I don't know, I like that. I think that's what we're supposed to -

GLENN: It's healthy. It's really healthy.

STU: Yeah. He's the senior writer at National Review. He wrote the book Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can't Ignore. He's an Iraq veteran. And the article is, I understand why they knelt. We'll tweet it from @GlennBeck and @worldofStu.

SHOW MORE HIDE TRANSCRIPT

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Conservative Writer David French: We Should Be More Tolerant of Speech That Offends Us

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Do you believe the First Amendment protects speech that offends you? If you can say yes, then you truly believe in free speech. But as National Review's David French pointed out in a recent piece, too many people will "zealously defend" the...

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The greatest threats to free speech in America come from the state, not from activists on college campuses.

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There's good reason to believe that public opinion is on his side.

Understanding this doesn't mean that you are wrong or that your feelings are not valid; it just means that the President has again found a winning cultural issue with which to solidify his standing in Middle America.

Last September, Reuters conducted a survey in the wake of Colin Kaepernick's "taking a knee" for the national anthem and found that, although a majority said he had a constitutionally protected right to protest, 72% of Americans thought his display was "unpatriotic," and 61% disagreed with him doing it.

And that was a survey among all Americans. For President Trump, that survey last year may well have offered a clue. And the loud "boos" ringing in several NFL stadiums across the country this weekend lead me to believe it was one he read accurately -- that many actual football fans lean toward the President's feelings.

Another clue? As CNNMoney reports, Alejandro Villanueva's jersey "just became the hottest buy in the NFL," outselling all others. Who is Villanueva? The only Pittsburgh Steeler this weekend to emerge from the locker room and stand for the national anthem.

Players have a right to protest -- clearly -- and most conservatives I know don't begrudge any American's right to express a view under the First Amendment.

Speech, truly, is free, and every American is welcome to speak his or her mind.

What we are not free from, however, is the consequences of our speech. I don't like people kneeling during the national anthem, but I respect their right to do it (even though it is likely to negatively impact the NFL, as it pits the league against many sports fans with opposing views).

A survey conducted this August by The Washington Post and UMASS Lowell found "the most common reason that fans reported for a decrease in interest in the NFL in recent years was not concussions or violence, but political issues. Of those who identified that reason, 17% pointed to protests during the national anthem by players such as Colin Kaepernick."

I suspect these acts of free speech will negatively affect a league that some commentators have said is already in "decline." As columnist Larry Stone wrote in the Seattle Times, "the NFL has major issues that seem to be converging at once to form a cesspool of negativity."

I don't like the idea of kneeling for political protest during the national anthem because it interrupts an important ritual that is uniquely American; we participate together in the anthem-- at NFL stadiums, at Little League baseball games, at high school graduations and at any number of civic gatherings, no matter our geography. That ritual reminds us that we are all, as Americans, in this together.

It's not surprising that a clear majority of Americans -- according to the Reuters polling -- have expressed a negative, visceral reaction to multimillionaire athletes disrespecting a patriotic national ritual in honor of the country that has given them the opportunity to make a living beyond the wildest dreams of 99.9% of the world's inhabitants.

President Trump gets this: he has a gut-level instinct for cultural issues that cause mass liberal freak-out when he brings them up. Many people in Middle America agree with him on this issue, and this liberal elite freak-out makes it an even more effective tactic.

Such overreactions play right into Trump's hands, further reinforcing to the Trump Tribe that they are right to be in full revolt against a nation whose culture dramatically lurched to the left during the Obama years. This is a key reason Democrats lost control of the politics of the Rust Belt in 2016.

Trump has routinely exploited this for political benefit.

The idea of respecting our national anthem, flag, and country's patriotic traditions is baked into Americans' civic education: they may believe people have a right to do otherwise, but they don't have to like it when they see it. Many Americans -- particularly those away from the media capitals of the east and west coasts -- are basically right where Trump is on this issue, even if some are uncomfortable with the President's colorful and strident language.

To be sure, race relations and tension between police and minority populations -- the issues that had Kaepernick and others taking a knee -- are among the most worrisome cultural problems we face in American society. They didn't begin on President Trump's watch; in fact, a CNN/ORC poll taken in the last months of Barack Obama's presidency showed that most Americans believed racial tensions had already worsened during his tenure.

It is up to all of us to work together to ease these tensions and reduce the fear and violence that exists in too many American cities.

I suspect these protests -- originally intended to draw attention to these problems -- have now taken on a life well beyond that intention and could potentially have the opposite effect originally intended by Kaepernick.
Correction: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this commentary referred to Alejandro Villanueva emerging from the dugout to stand for the national anthem. He emerged from the locker room.

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trump's gut knows that america agrees with him on nfl controversy (opinion) - cnn

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What Trump's gut knows about the NFL controversy

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The President's base may support free speech, but many are opposed to taking a knee in football -- and the liberal freak-out further signals to his supporters that it's right to be in full revolt against America's left-lurching culture, writes Scott Jennings.

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In a poll, whites were asked whether the NFL players kneeling in protest during the national anthem are helping or hurting the cause of racial justice. No fewer than 85 percent said they are hurting it.

Clearly, this offense to the anthem and the American flag is the worst possible way to change minds. Blacks need to find a less divisive means to register their discontent.

Oh, wait. I've got that wrong. Those figures don't come from a new poll. They come from a survey taken in 1966 asking whites whether "the demonstrations by Negroes on civil rights have helped more or hurt more in the advancement of Negro rights."

Only 15 percent of whites surveyed thought those peaceful protests would advance the cause of integration and equality. Martin Luther King Jr. and his nonviolent methods are honored even by conservatives today, but in 1967, half of whites said he was harming blacks, with only 36 percent disagreeing.

In many respects, the country has changed a lot since then - partly because of those unpopular demonstrations. What has not changed is that whites generally resent organized efforts by African-Americans to raise grievances and seek change. Last year, a Reuters poll found that 63 percent of whites disapproved of NFL players kneeling during the anthem - compared with 17 percent of blacks.

Many whites have always been in a hurry for African-Americans to stop griping about discrimination and get over it.

The Black Lives Matter movement is also unpopular among whites. Only 35 percent hold a positive view of it, according to a recent Harvard-Harris poll, compared with 83 percent of blacks. The negative opinions could be attributed to the noisy, disruptive marches the group has held or to the occasional outbreaks of violence that have resulted. The killing of five Dallas police officers at a Black Lives Matter demonstration last year (by a gunman unconnected to the group) also alienated a lot of people.

But if you don't like how Black Lives Matter pursues its agenda, you should welcome the NFL players' approach. It's silent; it's not disruptive; and it's entirely nonviolent. It doesn't block traffic, occupy police or frighten bystanders.

Critics say it's disrespectful to the flag, but no flags are harmed - and it could be taken as a form of respect for the flag to mutely signal your belief that the ideals it represents are not being realized.

That the display evokes so much fury and disgust among whites, from the president on down, confirms what was evident 50 years ago. The problem is not how blacks raise their complaints about American society; it's that they raise them.

When LeBron James and other NBA players wore shirts that said "I can't breathe" to protest police killings of unarmed black men, Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his disapproval, and Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera slammed James. When several St. Louis Rams came out for a game with their hands raised to protest the killing of Michael Brown, the local police union demanded they be punished.

Every time unrest erupts in black communities in response to some perceived injustice, finger-wagging whites wonder why blacks can't express their dissent in an orderly, law-abiding way. But every time African-Americans protest peacefully, the same whites object to the message, the tactics, the purpose or the slogans.

Unsympathetic whites often ask why blacks are so unwilling to acknowledge progress, to express gratitude for living in a free country and to focus on the problems in their own communities. But unsympathetic whites asked the same questions back in the 1960s. Many whites have always been in a hurry for African-Americans to stop griping about discrimination and get over it.

Detractors demand to know how such highly paid athletes have the nerve to question a country that has rewarded them so richly. They could ask the same question about Donald Trump - who owes his wealth to a nation that his inaugural address depicted in nightmarish terms.

Trump can insulate himself from the dangers he sees. But these players are as much at risk from bad cops as other black men. A GenForward poll last year found that only 26 percent of young adult African-Americans trust police to do the right thing, compared with 73 percent of their white peers. Small wonder that Colin Kaepernick and other black athletes want to draw attention to what they regard as a mortal danger.

Are there better ways for them to make their point? Maybe so. But it wouldn't make much difference. To many whites, the only good black protest is no black protest.
Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/chapman. Download "Recalculating: Steve Chapman on a New Century" in the free Printers Row app at www.printersrowapp.com. schapman@chicagotribune.com Twitter @SteveChapman13

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In a poll, whites were asked whether the NFL players kneeling in protest during the national anthem are helping or hurting the cause of racial justice. No fewer than 85 percent said they are hurting it. Clearly, this offense to the anthem and the American flag is the worst possible way to change minds.

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It's really not that hard to sell a lie, provided you've got lots of people who are predisposed to believe it. More than that, who desperately want to believe it because it confirms the agenda they are determined to sell.

If you've got that, all you need is a few anecdotes - you don't even have to present them accurately, fairly or honestly - and that will be enough to get people to run with them and push the idea you wanted them to push.

Here we are. All across the NFL, and now all across the country, you've got celebrities and politicians "taking a knee" to protest the widespread racist brutality being committed by white cops against innocent black people. Even if you don't like people refusing to stand for the national anthem, we're told, you should respect the message because it's so important that we stand against the racist mistreatment of blacks by the police.

There's one problem: It's not true. It's not happening.

Anyone who engages in critical thinking knows that a few high-profile incidents, often related by people who jumped to conclusions, do not make for a statistically proven trend. Even if Ferguson, Baltimore and St. Louis were all what the media tried to make you think they were (which they were not), that still wouldn't prove that this is happening on any sort of widespread basis. For that, we need real crime statistics. The entire time this very public debate has been going on, we've had no such statistics. We've just had sensationalized media stories and people reacting to them.

Now we have the numbers, courtesy of the FBI's latest report on national crime statistics.

So. Is it true that we have a widespread epidemic of white cops shooting innocent blacks?

No. Not even close. In fact, quite the opposite, as City Journal's Heather MacDonald presents in devastating fashion:

Who is killing these black victims? Not whites, and not the police, but other blacks. In 2016, the police fatally shot 233 blacks, the vast majority armed and dangerous, according to the Washington Post. The Post categorized only 16 black male victims of police shootings as "unarmed." That classification masks assaults against officers and violent resistance to arrest. Contrary to the Black Lives Matter narrative, the police have much more to fear from black males than black males have to fear from the police. In 2015, a police officer was 18.5 times more likely to be killed by a black male than an unarmed black male was to be killed by a police officer. Black males have made up 42 percent of all cop-killers over the last decade, though they are only 6 percent of the population. That 18.5 ratio undoubtedly worsened in 2016, in light of the 53 percent increase in gun murders of officers-committed vastly and disproportionately by black males. Among all homicide suspects whose race was known, white killers of blacks numbered only 243.

Violent crime has now risen by a significant amount for two consecutive years. The total number of violent crimes rose 4.1 percent in 2016, and estimated homicides rose 8.6 percent. In 2015, violent crime rose by nearly 4 percent and estimated homicides by nearly 11 percent. The last time violence rose two years in a row was 2005-06. The reason for the current increase is what I have called the Ferguson Effect. Cops are backing off of proactive policing in high-crime minority neighborhoods, and criminals are becoming emboldened. Having been told incessantly by politicians, the media, and Black Lives Matter activists that they are bigoted for getting out of their cars and questioning someone loitering on a known drug corner at 2 AM, many officers are instead just driving by. Such stops are discretionary; cops don't have to make them. And when political elites demonize the police for just such proactive policing, we shouldn't be surprised when cops get the message and do less of it. Seventy-two percent of the nation's officers say that they and their colleagues are now less willing to stop and question suspicious persons, according to a Pew Research poll released in January. The reason is the persistent anti-cop climate.

We told you earlier today about the truth that's emerged concerning Michael Bennett's interaction with Las Vegas police. Bennett claimed he was arrested just for being black. That was not even close to being true. Yet chances are you heard about Bennett's initial claim, and didn't hear about the completion of the investigation and the release of video that totally vindicated the cops while proving that Bennett's claims were 100 percent false.

If you want to know how so many people can come to believe a problem is real and widespread, when in fact it is neither, you can start by looking at incidents like this. Someone makes a totally bogus accusation against the police and it's reported as if the accusation is credible and respectable - both because the person is famous and because much of the media want to believe him. Enough of this and people start believing a problem is real and serious and widespread, when in fact any such incidents are rare and isolated.

Andrew McCarthy expounded over the weekend on just how much of a fraud this entire narrative has proven to be:

What is most offensive about the kneeling gesture is not the projection of disrespect for the symbols of nationhood. The brief ceremony in which the anthem is observed at public gatherings is a celebration of American ideals: liberty, equality, and the willingness to fight to defend them. If it were true that American society was still persecuting a racial minority, that America was an imperialist monster, and that police were hunting down young black men, the celebration of those ideals would be a fraud. A contemptuous protest demonstration under such circumstances would be not only defensible; it would be obligatory.

Yet, the fact is: It is not true. It is a monstrous lie.

At the start, the protest was explicitly directed at purportedly institutional racism in the nation's police departments, which had supposedly led to an epidemic of police violence against black men. (More Kaepernick: "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.") It is a specious, defamatory claim.

Police killings, as the Wall Street Journal's Jason Riley notes, are at historic lows. As I have detailed, far more whites than blacks are killed in confrontations with law-enforcement - twice as many in 2015, for example. Police departments are more integrated than they have ever been - often overseen by African-American commissioners and political officials. Yet, observe the numbers crunched by Heather Mac Donald at City Journal: Though they make up only six percent of the population, black males account for 42 percent of police killings; police officers are 18.5 times more likely to be killed by a black male than are unarmed black males to be killed by a police officer.

Now having said all this, I'm still left with a problem. I know there are a lot of black people who are genuninely afraid of encounters with the police because they are convinced this narrative is the truth. They are protesting against what they think is a real injustice. They're sincere and they're after a just outcome - as they see it. Often they will tell you that white people lack empathy on this issue, and that you can't understand until you've experienced life as they have.

There is no question that black people have historically experienced wrongs white people could never dream of. And there is no question that because of this history, there is an understandable inclination to perceive a situation like this as real and serious. I do not want to be one of those jerk-off white people who tells minorities to just "get over it" or whatever when in fact their historical experience gives them plenty of reason to be wary of what might happen to them.

But facts are facts. The narrative we're being sold by the NFL kneelers and their media cheerleaders is simply not the truth. What I'd like to tell my black brothers and sisters is that they have reason to be encouraged, because in fact the police are not out to get them, kill them, beat them or otherwise abuse them. This is good news. It's evidence of societal progress.

And yet some would call me a racist for trying to offer this message of hope, and would rather nod in agreement with those who falsely point fingers of accusation at the police, and by extension, at the entire country. I don't know what to do with that.

I want us to find some common ground. And it's going to have to be grounded in the facts as they really are.

Dan's new novel, BACKSTOP, is a story of spiritual warfare and baseball. Download it from Amazon here!

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Newly released FBI data: There is no epidemic of cops shooting black people

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It's really not that hard to sell a lie, provided you've got lots of people who are predisposed to believe it. More than that, who desperately want to believe it because it confirms the agenda they are determined to sell.

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Fox Sports has attracted attention, both positive and negative, over a recent statement regarding its broadcast of the national anthem before NFL games.

A week after tensions rose surrounding the ongoing protests within the league, Fox Sports publicly announced it would not, as a general rule, provide live coverage of the pregame anthem.

The statement noted that the network is reserving the option to broadcast performances of The Star-Spangled Banner, and its foreign equivalent, as it sees fit.

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"As we have in previous broadcasts of NFL games from London, Fox will show the National Anthem as well as God Save the Queen live," the statement read.

Though Fox Sports aired the pregame national anthem during coverage of the previous weekend's games, when players from teams across the league protested by kneeling or locking arms, this weekend it did so only for the London-based game between the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints.

During that coverage, Saints players could be seen kneeling prior to the national anthem but standing together during its performance.

News of the network's decision quickly spread via social media, leading to impassioned debates about whether the national anthem - and the coordinated demonstrations by many protesters within the league - should be broadcast.

After a few players began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality in 2016, the issue has regained national prominence in recent days after President Donald Trump weighed in to encourage team owners to fire protesting players and viewers to boycott the league.

While the network's announcement has been linked to the ongoing protests, Fox Sports President Eric Shanks recently said foregoing the pregame anthem is actually " standard practice " for the network.

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He said "the way the commercial format works and the timing of the anthem to get to the kickoff" make scheduling live coverage of the anthem difficult.

"So I think we're going to pay attention to events," Shanks said. "Who knows what's going to happen? We are all on the same page in that we're taking it in stride."

Even if the anthem won't be shown live, the Fox Sports statement ended by ensuring its "cameras are always rolling" and the network "will document the response of players and coaches on the field."

What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.

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Breaking: Fox Network Announces Drastic Decision After NFL Protests (Video)

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Advertisement - story continues below Fox Sports has attracted attention, both positive and negative, over a recent statement regarding its broadcast of the national anthem before NFL games. A week after tensions rose surrounding the ongoing protests within the league, Fox Sports publicly announced it would not, as a general rule, provide live coverage of the pregame anthem.

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The controversy over "taking a knee" boils down to an issue of bad timing (" Fans burn up talk radio and social media in response to NFL player protests," Sept. 25). I don't think anyone questions the intended message of the action itself, which intends to call attention to inequality or the right to protest. However, that message is not only lost but distorted into something else due to the timing.

Instead of bringing attention to a particular and valid issue that needs to be addressed, when taking a knee is done during the playing of the national anthem, it presents as an indictment of our nation and its ways in general. Furthermore, it looks as if one is ashamed of their affiliation with their country and is ungrateful for all the advantages that our country does provide, which ironically includes the right to freedom of expression. When the action coincides with the anthem, it appears to demonstrate anti-patriotic sentiment and contempt for our country. As a result, what may be a misguided attempt to highlight an injustice, results in an inflammatory move that unwittingly overshadows any constructive value and therefore becomes counterproductive.

By all means protest, protest, protest. It is one of many components of our country that make it great. But why can't we as citizens take 90 seconds or so (the duration of the National Anthem) to table our grievances, stop calling attention to the things that need addressing and instead acknowledge that despite its faults, our country is a good place to live, and show that we are glad if not be proud to be a part of it? Why can't we collectively take a moment (not a knee) to reflect on the sacrifices made to provide the freedoms we do enjoy? The playing of the anthem is a time show unity and to show our appreciation for our country. We can exercise our individual right to complain at another time. Lets not let proper etiquette and appropriate decorum become a thing of the past.

In the effort to appease everyone, perhaps the sports venues should designate and announce a time before every kickoff, first pitch etc., say 60 seconds or so, (but exclusive of the playing of the national anthem), where the players, can express their personal dissatisfaction about anything they choose. Then we can move on with the intended purpose of the gathering.

Scott Richardson, Westminster
Send letters to the editor to talkback@baltimoresun.com. Please include your name and contact information.

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The controversy over "taking a knee" boils down to an issue of bad timing (" Fans burn up talk radio and social media in response to NFL player protests," Sept. 25). I don't think anyone questions the intended message of the action itself, which intends to call attention to inequality or the right to protest.

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There is a lot of controversy on the NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. I believe kneeling during the anthem shows disrespect for the flag. I served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive, and I disapproved of the war. I also condemn police brutality, crime and murder. I also have the right to protest and march and support those who share my ideas. But I will never, ever disrespect our flag.

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There is a lot of controversy on the NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. I believe kneeling during the anthem shows disrespect for the flag. I served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive, and I disapproved of the war. I also condemn police brutality, crime and murder.

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Is it the Presidents Place to Speak on the NFL?

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Is it the Presidents Place to Speak on the NFL?

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Still, plenty opted to kneel during "The Star-Spangled Banner," with the Baltimore Ravens' Terrell Suggs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mike Evans among the stars following the lead of former pro quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who pioneered the anthem protests last year over what he was said was social and racial injustice.

Kaepernick, who has sat and knelt during the anthem, has said he refused to honor a song or "show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He also referenced the shootings of black men by police as one of reasons for his stance. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way," he told NFL Media. "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Ahead ofa Sunday morning game in London and afternoon games, players from several teams, including the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins, took knees during the anthem. With the exception of one player, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't even take the field until the anthem was over.The Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans also chose not to take the field for the national anthem.

"What you just saw was a variety of responses with the theme of unity," an NFL front office source told CNN. "All across the league, owners, coaches and players came together to decide what was best for them."

The source added, "If Trump thought he could divide the NFL, he was wrong."

Following Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoffs, Trump tweeted that he approved of players locking arms, saying it represented "great solidarity" for the country.

Here's who's been taking a stand Sunday:

Washington Redskins vs. Oakland Raiders

Redskins players, including quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive back Josh Norman, and owner Dan Snyder stood arm-in-arm. Several Redskins also knelt.

Across FedEx Field, a number of Raiders sat with their arms locked before the prime time game.

"Football has always served as the great unifier, bringing people together to celebrate the values of courage, commitment and achievement," the Redskins said.

NBC's Michele Tafoya said the Raiders head coach, Jack Del Rio, told her the team wanted to stay in the locker room during the anthem but couldn't. The team would have forfeited the coin toss and be in danger of a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, she said.

Tafoya said 12-year veteran Vernon Davis, a tight end with the Redskins, said he would visit the White House if he was invited, and he would tell the President that "we love the flag. Let's focus on solutions rather than attack those protesting."

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Green Bay Packers

Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rogers and Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton were among the players on both teams who stood and locked their arms on their sidelines. Three Packers players also sat during the national anthem.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers

A number of Chargers players stood with their arms interlocked and otherssat. Some Chiefs players knelt, including linebacker Justin Houston who knelt towards the players bench

"I believe in honoring the American flag and supporting all of those who sacrifices protect the many freedoms we have in this country, including the right to have differences of opinion," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans

The Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans remained in their locker rooms during the national anthem.

"The players jointly decided this was the best course of action. Our commitment to the military and our community is resolute and the absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn't be misconstrued as unpatriotic," the Titans organization said in a statement.

The Seahawks said the team made the decision together.

"We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country. Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms," the Seahawks players said in the statement.

Titans cheerleaders were seen standing on the sidelines with hands over their hearts, like many fans in the stands.

Meghan Linsey, a Nashville singer and runner-up on NBC's The Voice," sang the national anthem. On the last note, Linsey and her guitarist took a knee.

Cleveland Browns vs. Indianapolis Colts

Several Browns players locked arms. Some stood, while others knelt on the sideline. Colts players were also locked arm-in-arm while they stood or took a knee.

New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers

Several Saints players sat on the bench or knelt while others stood. Panthers starting quarterback Cam Newton and his teammates stood during the anthem.

There was swift reaction to the actions of some Saints players. A restaurant in Chalmette, Louisiana, near New Orleans, refused to show the Saints game on television.

"Some of our local players chose to sit during the National Anthem, which will not be supported or praised at WOW," WOW Cafe & Wingery of St. Bernard wrote on its Facebook page.

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills

Five-time Pro Bowl selection Von Miller was among several Broncos players who knelt, while Garett Bolles and Virgil Green stood with their fists in the air.

Multiple Buffalo Bills players stood with their arms around each other, while some players knelt with their arms interlocked. Some of those who stood held the shoulders of other players.

Bills running back LeSean McCoy stretched during the national anthem, according to local media reports.

"I can't stand and support something where our leader of this countryis ... acting like a jerk, angry and upset about NFL players protesting in a peaceful manner," McCoy said after the game, CNN affiliate WKBW reported.

New England Patriots

While most players from both teams, Tom Brady among them, opted to lock arms, more than a dozen Patriots -- including running back James White, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore -- took knees.

In the owner's suite above them, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stood with his hand over his heart.

Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets

Jets head coach Todd Bowles and Dolphins owner Steve Ross both joined their teams, arms interlocked, before Sunday's AFC East showdown.

On the Dolphins sideline, wide receiver Jarvis Landry stood during the anthem but locked arms with safety Maurice Smith and tight end Julius Thomas, both of whom knelt.

Philadelphia Eagles

As Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins tweeted before the game, Philadelphia players locked their arms in unity. As a retired African-American serviceman, Petty Officer 1st Class Generald Wilson, belted out the anthem, Eagles CEO Jeff Lurie joined the team, locking arms with Jenkins on the sideline. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks opted not to join his team and stood off to the side during the anthem.

"Having spoken with our players, I can attest to the great respect they have for the national anthem and all it represents," Lurie wrote. "We ... firmly believe that in this difficult time of division and conflict, it is more important than ever for football to be a great unifier."

Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions

Team owners Arthur Blank of the Falcons and Martha Firestone Ford of the Lions joined their teams on the sidelines, locking arms with their players. Starting running back Ameer Abdullah was among at least eight LIons players taking a knee during the anthem.

Detroit singer Rico Lavelle closed out his rendition of the anthem by taking a knee and holding his microphone aloft in his fist.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings

While both teams locked arms along the sidelines, Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans and his counterpart DeSean Jackson knelt with their hands over their hearts. Coach Dirk Kover stood with his hand over his heart. The crowd applauded once "The Star-Spangled Banner" concluded.

Pittsburgh Steelers

As coach Mike Tomlin promised, the Steelers didn't take the field for the national anthem. But offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva, a former captain in the Army and ex-Ranger who did three tours in Afghanistan, stood in the tunnel, hand over heart, as the anthem played.

Tomlin had said before the game his squad would remain in the locker room.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Six-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Suggs was atop the list of Ravens players taking a knee before the game in London. Alongside him was retired Ravens legend Lewis, who locked arms with wide receiver Mike Wallace and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Other coaches and players locked arms during the anthem.

At least a dozen Jaguars took knees during the anthem, including defensive standouts Calais Campbell and Jalen Ramsey, as well as their No. 4 draft pick, running back Leonard Fournette.

The majority of players locked arms, as did the coaching staff and Pakistani-American team owner Shad Khan, who said in a statement that he met with team captains prior to the game to express his support.

"Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms -- race, faith, our views and our goals," he said. "We have a lot of work to do, and we can do it, but the comments by the President make it harder. That's why it was important for us, and personally for me, to show the world that even if we may differ at times, we can and should be united in the effort to become better as people and a nation."

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taking the knee: these are the nfl players protesting today - cnn

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Eliott C. McLaughlin and Darran Simon, CNN

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These are the NFL players protesting today amid Trump criticism

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Still, plenty opted to kneel during "The Star-Spangled Banner," with the Baltimore Ravens' Terrell Suggs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mike Evans among the stars following the lead of former pro quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who pioneered the anthem protests last year over what he was said was social and racial injustice.

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Should Students Have a Right to Protest as Well beyond the NFL?

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Should Students Have a Right to Protest as Well beyond the NFL?

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Two Victory & Praise Christian Academy football players were kicked off the team after taking a knee during the national anthem Friday night. Those players told ABC13 their protest, which has gotten national attention, worked.

Cedric Ingram-Lewis and Larry McCullough said they went to the game with a plan to take a knee during the anthem. They also told their coach, Ronnie Ray Mitchem, that they were going to follow through with their protest.

Mitchem said that the team has a long standing rule that players were not to kneel during the anthem. As a veteran, he told the team it would be offensive to him and other veterans.

"There is a proper time to do something in a proper way," Mitchem said.

RELATED: Houston-area districts won't punish student athletes for protest

After Ingram-Lewis and McCullough took a knee, Mitchem immediately asked the players to take off their uniform.

"That's just how he feels," Ingram-Lewis said.

Ingram-Lewis' mother said the players shouldn't be told what time they can and cannot protest.

"He has a slave master mentality," she said. "If you were to go back to that when they wanted to tell us this is what you are going to do and this is how you do it. And if we didn't comply, we were beaten, whooped or even killed."

Mitchem added that he has stopped watching the NFL due to recent protests.

Across the country, professional athletes have taken a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustices. Last year, Colin Kaepernick became the first player to use his platform as a NFL player to kneel and protest cases of police brutality and racial inequality.

Many of the students who are on the private school's football team are home-schooled.

Report a typo to the ABC13 staff

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Football players kicked off team for taking a knee

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Two Victory & Praise Christian Academy football players were kicked off the team after taking a knee during the national anthem Friday night. Those players told ABC13 their protest, which has gotten national attention, worked. Cedric Ingram-Lewis and Larry McCullough said they went to the game with a plan to take a knee during the anthem.

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL https://t.co/ncNGyOHdEr

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL pic.twitter.com/ncNGyOHdEr
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 1, 2017

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL https://t.co/ncNGyOHdEr

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL https://t.co/ncNGyOHdEr

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From Rosa Parks to Muhammad Ali to #TakeAKnee - this is America's history of non-violent protest #NFL

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Is it worth taking a knee or is it better to just find an alternative way?

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL pic.twitter.com/ms3nqIFfrB
— Allen West (@AllenWest) October 4, 2017

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL pic.twitter.com/ms3nqIFfrB
— Allen West (@AllenWest) October 4, 2017

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL https://t.co/ms3nqIFfrB

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One NFL team owner took DRASTIC action to stem anthem protests https://t.co/QeGs2pzIDO #tcot #TakeAKnee #NFL

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Athletes respond to the backlash of President Trump.

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After Trump Blasts N.F.L., Players Kneel and Lock Arms in Solidarity (Published 2017)

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After President Trump doubled down on his criticism of players who take a knee during the national anthem, owners and players responded.

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Examining the symbolism of kneeling.

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Symbols matter in politics. They often matter more than the detailed arguments that opposing sides make. Symbols are a shortcut that help persuadable outsiders figure out where to line up.

The professional athletes doing political battle with President Trump are heirs to the civil-rights movement. They are protesting government-sanctioned violence against African-Americans. Risking popularity for principle, they have shown a courage frequently lacking among the affluent and famous.

Trump, meanwhile, is heir to yesterday's racist demagogues. He called an athlete "a son of a bitch" not long after saying that white supremacists included "very fine people." (This weekend, he used an insulting stereotype against, of all people, Puerto Ricans.).

From a moral standpoint, this issue is clear. The athletes are right - and have every right to protest as they have. Trump is wrong, about the scourge of police violence and about freedom of speech.

But righteousness does not automatically bring effectiveness. And as someone who cheers when Stephen Curry or Von Miller speaks out and makes the president look small, I've reluctantly become convinced that many athletes are making a tactical mistake.

Yes, the athletes and their allies can make nuanced, genuine arguments about why kneeling during the national anthem is not meant as a rebuke to the entire country. Liberals have rallied to their side, almost uniformly. I have the same instinct.

Winning over blue America, however, is a pretty modest goal. The kneeling argument needlessly alienates persuadable people, and it's one the athletes don't need. Almost 70 percent of Americans get that the protests are directed at police violence or Trump and not the flag, according to a YouGov/HuffPost poll. Yet only 36 percent consider the kneeling protest to be "appropriate."

Why? Because most Americans respect the country's symbols and because standing is a simple sign of respect. You stand to greet someone. You stand at weddings and in church. You stand for ovations. Sitting while others stand sends a different message.

Beyond the athletes, there is a bigger question: Do Trump's opponents want to oppose him in ways that are merely just and satisfying? Or do they want to beat him? "You can't get angry," as the longtime activist Vernon Jordan has said, describing a different civil-rights battle, in the 1950s. "You have to get smart."

Getting smart means nominating progressive candidates who can win, even if they aren't progressive on every issue. Getting smart means delaying internal fights (like single-payer health care) and unifying against Trump's agenda (as Democrats in Congress have). Getting smart means understanding, as civil-rights leaders did, that American symbols are a worthy ally.

The athletes shouldn't apologize for anything. Those who continue to kneel, and draw ire, deserve support. But the smart move now is not to expand a tactic that Trump loves as a foil. It's to shift toward protests that don't need a counterintuitive and distracting defense, while he gets to bleat on about America first.

The protests can still be aggressive - like the "I can't breathe" shirts in the N.B.A., and much more. Trump, of course, will blast any protest as some version of uppity. But so what? The target audience are the many Americans open to opposing police violence and a bullying president - but uncomfortable with a gesture that seems to oppose America itself.

The athletes, after all, are the true patriots here, defending life, liberty and equality under the law. They're also intensely competitive people. They are familiar with the idea of finding a way to win.

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Opinion | The Choice Between Kneeling and Winning

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Symbols matter in politics. They often matter more than the detailed arguments that opposing sides make. Symbols are a shortcut that help persuadable outsiders figure out where to line up. The professional athletes doing political battle with President Trump are heirs to the civil-rights movement. They are protesting government-sanctioned violence against African-Americans.

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Detroit Lions defensive end Armonty Bryant (97), defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson (91) and defensive end Cornelius Washington (90) take a knee during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Detroit.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - It's one of America's favorite pastimes, but now professional football is at the center of a political debate as NFL players protest racial injustices by taking a knee instead of standing during the national anthem.

President Donald Trump has issued strong statements against the league, saying America should essentially boycott the NFL if teams doesn't respect the country.

Veterans in West Michigan have mixed feelings on whether kneeling during the anthem is unpatriotic.

"If I was their employer, I'd fire them," Vietnam veteran Lloyd Loper of Belding told 24 Hour News 8 Monday.

On the other side of the argument is U.S. Air Force veteran Rick Cable of Caledonia:

"As a veteran I fought for their right to do that," he said.

They're both perfect examples of how the debate is dividing even those who have served.

"I don't think they should sit for the national anthem but as Americans, we have the right to do that if we want to do that," Cable said. "I can't say that I should criticize them for doing what I fought for them to be able to do if they want to do it."

"I don't mind them protesting but when you involve the country by disrespecting the flag and the anthem, then I think that's going to far," Loper said.

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Loper said the actions by some NFL players feel personally disrespectful to those who have served and he's boycotting NFL games.

"I haven't watched one since the very first, (former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin) Kaepernick. When he took a knee, I haven't watched a game since," Loper said.

In an opinion piece printed Monday in The New York Times, Eric Reid, a safety for the 49ers, was adamant that being athletes in the NFL is a platform to "speak up for those who are voiceless."

"It baffles me that our protest is still being misconstrued as disrespectful to the country, flag and military personnel," he wrote. "We chose it because it's exactly the opposite. It has always been my understanding that the brave men and women who fought and died for our country did so to ensure that we could live in a fair and free society, which includes the right to speak out in protest."

However, active military personnel are pushing back.

Army Specialist Matthew Rausch in Grand Rapids sent an email to 24 Hour News 8 that read:

"The flag is bigger than Trump, so I would never kneel during the national anthem. I do kneel on both knees every Sunday though. The past treatment of minorities in this country is terrible and we should learn from it, that being said I still think there are better ways to protest than this. Mixing sports and politics is terrible."

Here are what some other veterans on social media had to say on the issue:

Carrie Bennington Jones, Air Force veteran from Grand Rapids:

"I feel that when we serve in the military, we take an oath to uphold the constitution. One of our basic rights is that of free speech. Whether we agree with that speech or not, doesn't take away from the fact that it is their right. I believe that this silent protest is very respectfully done, peaceful, and grabs the attention of millions of Americans. If that sparks the conversation and fires up the changes that need to occur, then it has been a success. As a mother of biracial children, who was stationed down south, I dealt with racism head on. I want my children to live in a world where they are not automatically judged because of their skintone."

Steve Miller, U.S. Army veteran from Sturgis:

"I served in the U.S Army from 1968-1971 and spent 13 months (69-70) just 10 miles south of the DMZ and North Korea. Living very close to a regime that prohibits so many freedoms which we take for granted has stuck with me through the years. Now, to see the president trying to suppress the 1st amendment rights of the NFL players by calling for them to be fired, strikes me as very wrong. As a veteran, I do not feel dis-respected in the least by the actions of the NFL players. I am proud to know that the constitution and it's amendments that I served my country to protect are very much alive and well."

Thomas Fought, active duty Army National Guard:

"I disagree with the idea, but support the right. "To me, the flag and anthem represent the hopes, dreams, and goals of Americans, and the future we can achieve. It is disheartening to see others not support that. "But here's the thing, it means different things to different people. To some it is the negative aspects we still have. If I proudly stand, it doesn't mean I support the negativity too. "This is the problem. Your opinions and beliefs are not concrete facts. They are opinions which are subject to change and an infinite number of definitions and interpretations. "The right is a fact. "I stand by the facts, and my PERSONAL opinions/convictions."

Jake Hamilton, Army veteran from Greenville:

"I fought for their right to kneel. I don't agree with it but they are doing no harm. I have been boycotting watching nfl games for years now for my own reasons. This kneeling business is just another reason to not watch."

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Disrespect or free speech? Vets on kneeling for anthem

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - It's one of America's favorite pastimes, but now professional football is at the center of a political debate as NFL players protest racial injustices by taking a knee instead of standing during the national anthem.

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Why Sports And Politics Should Never Mix

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Examining the true reason behind the protests.

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Image: John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images

An unprecedented number of NFL players kneeled or otherwise protested during pre-game national anthems this Sunday after Donald Trump spent his weekend feuding with the league over the peaceful act.

The hashtag #TakeAKnee (and a variant, #TakeTheKnee) trended on Twitter all day Saturday and Sunday as players and some team owners and front offices defied the president's repeated attacks with public statements and on-field shows of solidarity.

And despite players' repeated explanations of the intention behind their decision to kneel or raise a fist, it seems there's still a lot of (sometimes willful) misunderstanding about why they're doing so.

Ever since former 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernick started his protest last September, he's been clear about the fact that there's no intent to disrespect the military, the country's bedrock values, or any of the other patriotic ideals commonly raised by his critics.

Rather, the protest is simply to call attention to the ongoing problem of disproportionate police violence against non-white people in America and the lack of consequences for its perpetrators, Kaepernick has said.

In fact, he actually opted to kneel rather than sit last year after former NFL player and Army Green Beret Nate Boyer suggested it might show more reverence to soldiers and veterans.

"Once again, I'm not anti-American," Kaepernick said at the time. "I love America. I love people. That's why I'm doing this. I want to help make America better. I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from."

Kaepernick is now a free agent, but the movement he started as a 49ers is now stronger than ever. The dozens of players who've joined have been similarly explicit about their reasoning.

For instance, Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell, who became the first MLB player to take a knee during the anthem on Saturday, said his gesture was not meant to detract from the significance of his own father's army service.

"I know I was on the fence for a long time because I know no one in baseball has ever done it," Maxwell said in a post-game press conference. "I finally got to the point where I thought the inequality of man is being discussed, and it's being practiced from our president."

The severity of the real problem driving the protests was underscored earlier this season when Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett was seemingly arbitrarily arrested in what he claimed was an instance of racial profiling and excessive use of force.

"The system failed me. I can only imagine what Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Charleena Lyles felt," he wrote in a statement on the incident.

Despite appeals like that, Trump has never mentioned the issue at the center of the movement, and he continues to openly call it a protest against America itself.

Yet the newfound willingness of NFL owners to make at least conciliatory statements in defense of their players' right to free expression signals there may finally be more acknowledgment of the substance of the protests rather than the method.

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#TakeAKnee protests are about police violence, not the military or the Constitution

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An unprecedented number of NFL players kneeled or otherwise protested during pre-game national anthems this Sunday after Donald Trump spent his weekend feuding with the league over the peaceful act. The hashtag #TakeAKnee (and a variant, #TakeTheKnee) trended on Twitter all day Saturday and Sunday as players and some team owners and front offices defied the president's repeated attacks with public statements and on-field shows of solidarity.

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Not all free speech is protected by law.

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We live in a litigious society, ready to make a federal case out of all kinds of slights and indignities. We are also quick to claim broad constitutional rights, asserting that whatever we do in the name of religion or anything we say is protected by the First Amendment's freedoms of religion or speech. But let's be clear about this: a professional athlete taking a knee during the national anthem is not engaged in constitutionally protected free speech.

The First Amendment, like other provisions in the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the Constitution), protects our freedoms from government intrusion. The Founders, and especially the Antifederalists, feared that replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution created a federal government that was too powerful. As a consequence, there was a move to establish a Bill of Rights, making it plain that the federal government had no power to intrude upon a whole set of individual freedoms.

The language of the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech." This was later broadened by the courts to include other branches and agencies of the federal government, and ultimately to prohibit all government from limiting speech. Such abridgement of speech no longer requires the government entity to make a formal "law" since action may also limit speech. In addition, government is more broadly defined, with a state university, for example, unable to limit speech in ways that a private college might.

Sports leagues and teams are businesses that may establish and enforce all kinds of rules, right down to whether you must tuck in your shirt and what kind of patches you may display on your uniform. These are not matters of free speech-certainly not of constitutionally protected speech-but rather are business practices that leagues and teams may legally require their employees to follow. As Commissioner Adam Silver recently reminded NBA teams, the league rules require players and coaches to stand for the national anthem and he expected the rule to be followed. There is no constitutional right to do otherwise. It is a matter of dispute whether the NFL has such a rule or merely a policy.

Protestors are quite simply off base when they claim that there is any kind of First Amendment free speech issue here. Some may wish athletes were free to protest during the national anthem at sporting events, but the Constitution provides no protection for that. If athletes wished to invoke any sort of legal backing for their action, it would be more in the nature of labor relations law than constitutional law. Players unions and management might negotiate what freedoms athletes are allowed in this regard, just as all kinds of business practices are negotiated.

Even President Trump's remarks on the matter do not create a First Amendment problem. He merely stated that he wished owners would stand up and fire athletes who protested during the national anthem. Again, this is a matter of labor relations and business practice, not a question of constitutional law or protection. President Trump, along with everyone else, is free to say what he wishes.

Of course, there are bigger questions to be raised. Why do we need such a close tie between patriotism and sports? Even if the First Amendment does not protect the ability of athletes to say or act out what they want, many would like to live in the kind of society where people had such freedoms. But of course with that comes the freedom for others to protest and object to that speech or action, creating the clashing and jarring of ideas in truly free speech. Moreover, might owners and leagues be unwise to prevent such speech and protests, even if they are not constitutionally protected?

Kneeling and protesting during the national anthem presents a number of difficult questions, but free speech under the First Amendment is not among them.

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The Myth That All 'Free Speech' Is Constitutionally Protected

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We live in a litigious society, ready to make a federal case out of all kinds of slights and indignities. We are also quick to claim broad constitutional rights, asserting that whatever we do in the name of religion or anything we say is protected by the First Amendment's freedoms of religion or speech.

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Taking Knee means Disrespecting the Flag

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Taking Knee means Disrespecting the Flag

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This weekend, the more than 100 NFL players who refused to stand during the national anthem were met with boos from crowds in stadiums across America - and deservedly so.

Playing in London, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars players wouldn't stand for the U.S. national anthem but did for "God Save the Queen" in the very country we fought to win our independence.

Worse, the players held their disgraceful protest on National Gold Star Mother's Day, the day our country honors mothers who have lost children in war. A Gold Star mother whose son died in Afghanistan told CNN last year that when she first saw players taking a knee, "my heart kind of stopped and I lost my breath because the flag that I see is the flag that draped my son's casket." Imagine what she and other Gold Star mothers felt seeing 100 players do the same on the very day our country set aside to thank them.

Way to go, NFL.

In Pittsburgh, only one player - Alejandro Villanueva - a former Army Ranger who lost brothers in arms fighting under that flag - came out of the locker room to stand for the anthem. He was criticized for doing so by his coach. The fans' response? Sales of Villanueva jerseys skyrocketed.

What these players don't seem to understand is that Americans gave their lives so that they could have the freedom to play a kids' game for a living. When players disrespect the flag, they disrespect that sacrifice. And it would not matter if they had done so to protest Donald Trump or Barack Obama - their actions would be equally offensive. If NFL players want to protest the president, they have plenty of other ways. Attend a rally. Speak out on Twitter. Tell the media after the game, "I stood up for America but I stand against Donald Trump." But don't show contempt for the flag.

Were President Trump's comments urging owners to fire players who refused to stand incendiary? Sure. Were they politically calculated? No doubt. But that does not change the fact that he is right. And he did not start this fight. Colin Kaepernick and a handful of players did. Moreover, Trump is not the first president to speak out against disrespect for the flag. In 1988, Republican George H.W. Bush excoriated his Democratic opponent, Michael Dukakis, for vetoing a bill requiring Massachusetts teachers to lead their students in the Pledge of Allegiance. As president he proposed a constitutional amendment to outlaw desecration of the flag.

Yes, athletes do have a constitutional right to engage in speech that is offensive to millions of Americans. But the First Amendment does not protect them from the consequences of their offensive speech. There is no constitutional right to play professional football. If an NFL player stood on the sidelines and hurled racial epithets, his speech would be protected by the First Amendment. He would also be fired.

The NFL's game operations manual says that "all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem" and must "stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking" or face discipline "such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s)." The league regularly penalizes players for dancing in the end zone, but it allows players to violate the rules regarding the national anthem with impunity.

The NFL is also selective when it comes to the kind of speech it protects. Last September, the Dallas Cowboys asked for permission to wear helmet stickers in honor of police officers massacred in Dallas earlier last year. The league refused. So the NFL will not allow players to express their support for police with a tiny helmet decal, but it lets them disrespect the flag while distorting the work of police officers across the country?

The players' behavior is hurting the league. NFL viewership is at its lowest point since 1998, and ESPN reports that "national anthem protests were the top reason that NFL fans watched fewer games last season, according to a new survey released by J.D. Power." Indeed, "Sunday Night Football" had its worst ratings of the season this weekend, as millions of Americans turned off their sets in disgust.

If the NFL won't stop its players from disrespecting the flag, then maybe Congress should take a second look at some of the federal benefits the NFL enjoys. For example, the NFL gets a special antitrust exemption in U.S. law. Democrats in Congress have already been debating whether the league should be stripped of this exemption because of its weak response to domestic violence allegations against players. Perhaps Republicans angry over anthem protests will now be willing to join them? And this might also be a good time for some public hearings into the NFL's efforts to interfere with concussion research at the National Institutes of Health.

Last year, National Hockey League coach John Tortorella declared, "If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game."

Hey, NFL, take a cue from the NHL. Every coach and owner should tell his players the same.

Read more from Marc Thiessen's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.

Read more here:

The Post's View: This is what the flag stands for

John Feinstein: Colin Kaepernick and the NFL cowards

Barton Swaim: Kaepernick's symbolism misses the point

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Opinion | Disrespecting the flag is a disgraceful way to protest Trump

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This weekend, the more than 100 NFL players who refused to stand during the national anthem were met with boos from crowds in stadiums across America - and deservedly so. Playing in London, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars players wouldn't stand for the U.S.

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US President Donald Trump has urged a boycott of the National Football League (NFL) to force teams to punish players who protest during the national anthem.

In a growing row with the sports world, Mr Trump repeated that such players should be fired or suspended.

The remarks have been condemned as "offensive" and "divisive".

Mr Trump's comments seem to be directed to his base as a way to shift attention from other issues, BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says.

This is a fight Mr Trump relishes, our reporter adds, because he knows his base will flock to him when he questions the patriotism of wealthy athletes.

Mr Trump's attacks came at a rally in Alabama on Friday, after a week in which:

His latest effort to repeal Obama-era healthcare legislation suffered a potentially fatal blow after Senator John McCain said he could not vote for it

His candidate in Alabama's Republican Senate runoff on Tuesday, Senator Luther Strange, lagged behind former State Supreme Court justice Roy Moore, polls suggested

However on Sunday several Jacksonville Jaguars players kneeled as the US anthem was played at the start of a game against the Baltimore Ravens in London.
Warning: This article contains language some readers may find offensive.
What did Mr Trump say?

In two tweets early on Sunday just hours before a series of NFL games, Mr Trump repeated his call for clubs to punish players who protest during the US anthem.

He was referring to a string of controversial protests started by player Colin Kaepernick last year when he sat or kneeled during the anthem to highlight the treatment of black Americans.

To a crowd of cheering supporters on Friday, he said: "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... he is fired'."

Kaepernick led the San Francisco 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl but his status in the team has declined since and he lost his starting place last year.

No team has offered him a job as a quarterback and his supporters say he is being pushed out because of his political action. But others say his status as a "free agent" is down to his performance on the field.
#TakeAKnee v #BoycottNFL: How fans see it
What has been the reaction?

Mr Trump's remarks on Friday have been widely criticised, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saying in a statement that "divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect".

President Trump, however, doubled down on his comments in a tweet, saying: "Tell them to stand!".

The NFL Players' Association said the president had crossed a line by effectively telling players to just "shut up and play".

Association president Eric Winston said Mr Trump's comments were "a slap in the face to the civil rights heroes of the past and present".

Reactions also included:

New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft said he was "deeply disappointed" by the comments, and that he supported players' rights "to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner they feel is most impactful"

Miami Dolphins owner and founder Stephen Ross said the US needed "unifying leadership right now, not more divisiveness" and that the players who protested were "smart young men of character who want to make our world a better place"

Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick's former team, said he would continue to support his players, calling the comments "callous and offensive"

But there has been no comment from many teams, including New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a wealthy businessman and Trump campaign donor who was appointed as his ambassador to the UK.

On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended Mr Trump's comments on ABC's This Week programme, saying: "I think the president can use whatever language he wants to use."
Stars: Trump is 'offensive and divisive' US anthem and flag: Etiquette and law
Who else has joined in the criticism?

On Saturday night, the Oakland Athletics' Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel in protest during the national anthem, mimicking the gesture of protest started by Colin Kaepernick.

His father is in the military and he was born on an army base, US media report. He told a reporter he was "kneeling for people that don't have a voice".
Rally for controversial NFL player US anthem and flag: Etiquette and law
What about the NBA row?

On Saturday, Mr Trump withdrew an invitation to the White House to basketball champions the Golden State Warriors after one player, Stephen Curry, said he did not want to attend.

Curry - NBA's top performer in 2015 - said he wanted to show that he and other players did not stand for "the things that he's said and the things that he hasn't said in the right times".

"Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team," Mr Trump tweeted afterwards. "Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!"

In response, triple NBA champion LeBron James, one of the sport's foremost stars, labelled the President a "bum".

"Going to White House was an honour until you showed up," he said. Retired star Kobe Bryant also tweeted his support.

The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, said the team had clearly understood "that we are not invited" to the White House but would visit Washington DC on its own "to celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion".

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he was disappointed the team would not be visiting the White House but was "proud" of the players for speaking out.

Separately, 2017 college basketball champions the North Carolina Tar Heels announced they, too, would not be going to the White House to celebrate their victory, despite being invited.

A spokesman said a suitable date that worked for both parties could not be found.

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US President Donald Trump has urged a boycott of the National Football League (NFL) to force teams to punish players who protest during the national anthem. In a growing row with the sports world, Mr Trump repeated that such players should be fired or suspended. The remarks have been condemned as "offensive" and "divisive".

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What does it mean to kneel? What emotions and beliefs does this action communicate? Does your culture or group membership affect how you see gestures like kneeling?

Those are some of the scientific questions raised when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided last year to kneel, instead of stand, for "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a preseason game. Teammate Eric Reid joined him. Their cause? Police violence against unarmed black people.

His knee unleashed a movement-and triggered a chain of events that culminated last week in the president of the United States calling a player who kneels a "son of a bitch." Over the following days, dozens of NFL players-including entire teams-"took the knee" before their games. In response, crowds booed.

To some, Kaepernick and the players who kneel with him are "unpatriotic," "ungrateful," "disrespectful," "degenerate," to quote just a few of the descriptions hurled their way. To others, Kaepernick's act-for which he may have paid dearly, as he is now unsigned-makes him a hero.

What's going on?

At first glance, research into emotion and nonverbal communication suggests that there is nothing threatening about kneeling. Instead, kneeling is almost always deployed as a sign of deference and respect. We once kneeled before kings and queens and altars; we kneel to ask someone to marry, or at least men did in the old days. We kneel to get down to a child's level; we kneel to beg.

While we can't know for sure, kneeling probably derives from a core principle in mammalian nonverbal behavior: make the body smaller and look up to show respect, esteem, and deference. This is seen, for example, in dogs and chimps, who reduce their height to show submissiveness. Kneeling can also be a posture of mourning and sadness. It makes the one who kneels more vulnerable. In some situations, kneeling can be seen as a request for protection-which is completely appropriate in Kaepernick's case, given the motive of his protest.

As sports protests go, taking the knee might not seem nearly as subversive or dangerous as thrusting a black-power fist into the air, as Tommie Smith and John Carlos did during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Researchers David Matsumoto and Jess Tracy show that even blind athletes from over 20 countries thrust their arms in the air in triumph after winning, which reveals the deep-seated urge to signal power with that body-expanding gesture. You can also find power in the fist. In the Darwinian sense, the fist is the antithesis of the affiliative, open hand, but when we combine a raised arm with a fist it becomes something more communicative-a rallying cry. It's a gesture that seeks to bring one group together while warning another away.

None of that should be too surprising. But there is an important point of similarity in the raised black-power fist-which makes bodies bigger-and the bended knee, which makes us smaller. Both Carlos and Smith bowed their heads in Mexico City, in a sign of respect and humility that accompanies their social signal of strength and triumph. That mix of messages makes the black-power salute one of the most famous, complex, effective nonverbal protests in our lifetimes-one that we can see echoed on today's football field.

Which returns us to the kneel. Kneeling is a sign of reverence, submissiveness, deference-and sometimes mourning and vulnerability. But with a single, graceful act, Kaepernick invested it with a double meaning. He didn't turn his back as the anthem was played, which would have been a true sign of disrespect. Nor did he rely on the now-conventionalized black-power fist.

Rather, he transformed a collective ritual-the playing of the national anthem-into something somber, a reminder of how far we still have to go to realize the high ideal of equal protection under the law that the flag represents. The athletes who followed him are showing reverence for the song and the flag, but they are simultaneously deviating from cultural norms at the moment their knees hit the grass.

By transforming this ritual, the players woke us up. Our amygdalae activate as soon as our brains spot deviations from routine, social norms, and in-group tendencies. We want to know what's happening and why. We need to know if the deviation poses a threat to us or our group. This may start to explain why so many Americans reacted with such fear and rage to a few athletes kneeling on the field in the midst of a national ritual.

But there's a lot more to it than that.

"Group membership affects interpretation of body language because groups develop norms and expectations around behavior, language, and life," says our UC Berkeley colleague Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, an expert on intergroup communication. "Breaking these norms is used intentionally to signal disagreement with the norms, as well as to signal that one is not conforming. It sparks strong emotion and backlash precisely because of its symbolic meaning-a threat to the status quo."

It matters that most of the athletes are black and much of the audience is white, that the ancestors of one group were brought here as slaves and the ancestors of the other were their owners. That's why, when Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the locker room as the anthem played, one Pennsylvania fire chief called their coach a "no good n*****" on Facebook, amplifying the racial themes of the debate. That's why Michigan's police director called them "degenerates."

When you mix power differences with intergroup dynamics, more factors come into play. Our lab has found that high-power people (say, the president or members of the numerical majority) are more likely to misinterpret nonverbal behavior. The experience of having power makes us less accurate in reading suffering on the faces of strangers and emotions in static photos of facial expressions. Powerful people are less able to take the perspective of others; they're quicker to confuse friendliness with flirtatiousness. This is the empathy deficit of people in power, one found in many kinds of studies.

Thus, we should not be surprised that many white people misread the meaning of "taking the knee" and fail to see the respect, concern, and even vulnerability inherent in kneeling. Of course, it is also the case that some white people may want to see black people terrorized by police and politically disenfranchised. Any effort by African Americans, no matter how deferential, to raise these issues will incite anger from those who benefit-emotionally or materially-from America's racial hierarchy.

But from a psychological perspective, that political elucidation still doesn't quite explain the specific inability of a majority of white football fans to interpret taking the knee according to universal human norms. And why would they take the misperception further, to actually see this humble posture as an act of aggression against America?

There is some evidence from Princeton's Susan Fiske and Penn State's Theresa Vescio that high-power people, in not attending carefully to others, are more likely to stereotype others, and more likely to miss individual nuances in behavior. This means that some white-majority football fans may be falling victim to the stereotype of African Americans-particularly large, well-muscled, pro football players-as violent and aggressive. In fact, as we've discussed, kneeling is actually the opposite of an aggressive signal.

What's the way forward from here? One of us (Dacher Keltner) has co-authored a paper with colleague Daniel Cordaro that examines the expression of 20 emotions across five cultures. We found that that while most outward emotional expressions are shared or partially shared, a quarter are not. It's in that non-shared space that intercultural conflict flares up-but that conflict can sometimes lead to cross-pollination, as people come to comprehend each other and synchronize their gestures.

Will Americans one day look back on Kaepernick's symbolic act as a moment when we started to understand each other just a little bit better? When many kinds of people were galvanized to work concretely on the problems of police brutality and racial bias in the criminal justice system, instead of discounting the concerns of African Americans?

Perhaps. Such a time seems very distant from where we are right now, as our society's leaders foster racial antagonism and people cannot seem to recognize the emotion and belief behind even the gentlest of gestures. Change happens, but it doesn't happen all by itself. Sometimes, you need to kneel to conquer.

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What does it mean to kneel? What emotions and beliefs does this action communicate? Does your culture or group membership affect how you see gestures like kneeling? Those are some of the scientific questions raised when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided last year to kneel, instead of stand, for "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a preseason game.

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The controversy over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem has unveiled the true colors of some conservatives - and they're not all red, white and blue.

Republicans and conservatives have historically sought to question the actions of their government and protect individual liberties. Our Bill of Rights and Constitution, which conservatives tout as their political bible, prescribe rights that chiefly protect people from the power of the state. But encouraged by President Donald Trump's worst inclinations, conservatives and other traditionalists have focused too little on those principles and too much on nationalism. Populism has grown at the expense of constitutionalism.

They want Football Sundays to be free of the uncomfortable activism the First Amendment enables. But celebrating the national anthem means little without the freedom of speech and expression it represents.

Conservatism has had two strains. One is a commitment to smaller government that protects individuals. The other celebrates traditional American society, including religion and patriotism. There's a deepening schism, and NFL players just happen to be feeding it.

Rush Limbaugh last week railed against the NFL and the "liberal elites" the league is trying to court. But if it's suddenly liberal to defend freedom of speech, sign me up.

There's a principle at stake with what NFL players are doing. You might not agree with what they're upset about, you might not even agree with how exactly they're protesting. Regardless, they have that right. And exercising it doesn't disrespect the U.S. military. It's why the military defends the United States to begin with.

It is both constitutional and, historically, quite patriotic to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The Constitution doesn't put parameters on who can petition, or how to do it. And the pledge and the anthem shouldn't be compulsory. Jehovah's Witnesses secured the right to refrain from such activities in a 1940s Supreme Court case.

Conservative outlets like Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, as well as Trump, advertise that public polling numbers are on their side. But that reeks of mob rule.

And even if it is true, the majority should never belittle the rights of any minority - as conservatives have historically argued. Alexander Hamilton says in the Federalist Papers that denying the liberty that creates differences is worse than the division they spur.

As the kneeling controversy also illustrates, conservatives don't see police misconduct as a serious constitutional concern. Yet defending the rights of every citizen - living under a government that preserves life and presumes innocence until proven guilty - is central to that document. They should know that better than anyone.

Any abuse by government (are police not government officials with the power to kill?) should concern conservatives regardless of race, frequency, or other factors. To deny that blacks don't have an entirely different experience with cops than whites do is naive. Conservatives might not want to believe it, but that only harms their cause.

They're too focused on cheering America no matter what, rather than defending what makes America great.

kbuss@detroitnews.com

Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/2wrfaDl

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Buss: #TakeAKnee for the First Amendment

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The controversy over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem has unveiled the true colors of some conservatives - and they're not all red, white and blue. Republicans and conservatives have historically sought to question the actions of their government and protect individual liberties.

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The NBA already has a cap on salaries. No similar lid should be placed on dissent. If a player is so moved by the current climate to take a knee, sit on the bench or even stay in the locker room during the national anthem, the league should respect and applaud that courage, not punish it. These are serious times and the protests against racial inequality and police brutality shouldn't be reduced to some bogus, patriotism litmus test.

Let's be clear: Athletes are not possibly putting their careers at risk, opening themselves up to jeering fans in arenas and on social media, because they are anti-national anthem, anti-flag, anti-America, anti-military or any other "anti" that has been used to diffuse any honest discourse. That those arguments have distracted from the true purpose of this activism only goes to show why it is necessary. Change won't come if no one listens. It certainly won't come if a league that presents itself as progressive and forward-thinking discourages civil methods used to bring about awareness.

There is some irony for a league that banished an owner for racist words now wanting to keep players in a predominantly black league from acknowledging that they didn't revoke their citizenship in this country the moment they put on a uniform. These players understand that being a professional basketball player provides no special protections once they leave the arena. Their skin color isn't wiped away by millions of dollars and fame. They can look to Thabo Sefolosha for confirmation. Sefolosha suffered a broken leg two years ago because a reckless police officer never took the time to ask any questions before wielding a baton. On any other night, NBA players recognize that it could've also been them, or their friends, or a relative.

The most frustrating aspect of this debate - which President Donald Trump co-opted with his dog-whistling, " son of a bitch " comments - is that those who either aren't paying attention or willfully are choosing to ignore the gravity of this situation have conflated it into an "anthem protest." The handful of NFL players who followed Colin Kaepernick's lead aren't protesting "The Star-Spangled Banner" any more than the students who led the sit-in movement were protesting restaurants. Making the request for America to uphold the principles that have been etched in our Constitution shouldn't be turned into an attack on the flag or the military - especially when athletes have explicitly stated that they aren't opposed to either. Protests are meant to make others uncomfortable and to squirm. This shouldn't be a kumbaya, campfire moment of locked arms; it should be upsetting and enlightening. The outrage over the protests have far exceeded the outrage over police murdering unarmed black people without admonition. Symbolism should never be more infuriating than death.

No acceptable form of protest exists for those opposed to change. Those in power certainly shouldn't make the rules of protest. Taking a knee or raising a fist isn't some frivolous act of defiance from attention whores; this an opportunity to force people to not just blindly or mindlessly salute. This is a chance to demand more of our nation. We won't be able to move forward until everyone recognizes the merit of this movement. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of consequences. Some behavior warrants swift chastisement. The NBA's longtime rule requiring players, coaches and trainers to stand during the national anthem was in place decades before it became a political talking point. So the league isn't being reactionary. But asking for equality, no matter the forum, shouldn't be considered divisive. It definitely shouldn't require disciplinary action.

With so many lame counter-arguments now drowning out what needs to be heard, NBA players are perfectly positioned to steer the conversation back to where it's needed. After Trump's comments in Alabama escalated the debate, the NFL and its opportunistic owners turned the movement into corny, empty statements about unity. They lost sight of the argument because we can't all be in it together without inclusion, without equal protection under the law. That protest gentrification again takes away from what America continues to refuse to confront: that systemic racism and oppression restricts progress for more than just people of color. It keeps this nation from reaching its full potential. Sports have often been hailed as an instrument to bring people together. But that belief is a facade if that connection is only rooted in our ability to cheer for or against the same teams but fail to recognize each other's humanity once the game ends.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told The Washington Post last summer that Kaepernick would be more welcome in the NBA - a league in which LeBron James can freely call Trump " U bum" on Twitter and both Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant can rebuke a White House visit without reprimand from the league. The stick-to-sports movement has met a cruel death, especially when players feel more emboldened to speak out for important causes. But while players are using their voices and their platforms to add weight to their political agendas, this is the same NBA that once had no place for Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf when he sat - and later prayed - during the anthem nearly 20 years ago. Players have mostly been respectful and adhered to league rules regarding the anthem. Golden State Warriors forward David West has staged his own protest during the anthem for several years, standing two feet behind his teammates during the song. But few, if any, of the game's top players are expected to divert from established rituals. They shouldn't conform out of fear. Protest should be about personal conviction. If anything, players should be allowed to follow the lead of the great Bill Russell, who knelt in support of NFL players while wearing his Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In the infancy of his tenure as NBA commissioner, Adam Silver scored his first victory by dismissing Donald Sterling after the former Los Angeles Clippers owner was caught on tape making insensitive and bigoted comments. Only a few months after the league had entered into a new $24 billion media-rights deal with Turner Sports, ABC and ESPN, Silver built a reputation for standing with his players while allowing them - albeit reluctantly - to wear "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts during warmups and the anthem after a grand jury decided against indicting an officer who used a chokehold to murder Eric Garner. No fines were levied by the NBA, though the players were in violation of on-court attire policy. And they moved on.

Two summers ago, James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony opened the ESPYs with comments about gang violence and police brutality, which came weeks before Kaepernick put his career in jeopardy by taking a controversial stance. But any chance of Kaepernick's movement spreading to the NBA was effectively neutered before it even occurred when the league and the player's union released a statement about plans to continue standing during the anthem. Players made comments before games. Teams made public-service announcements with players stressing unity. And a handful of players and teams engaged with local police officers and community leaders to bring about a healthy dialogue. The league continues to encourage those actions - doubling down with a memo sent to teams late Friday night - while also prohibiting anything but standing while the anthem is played. This doesn't have to be an either-or scenario. Players can both be involved in the community while demanding people to recognize during the anthem the reason they desire change and justice.

The NBA's recovery from its lowest moment of this century - the Malice in the Palace - remains one of the more remarkable comeback stories ever. Thirteen years after Ron Artest decided to chase down a beer-tossing fan in the stands, the league has rebounded with a crop of stars that is both popular and palatable. Ratings are up. The reach has expanded globally. So it is understandable, that with the pockets fattening for players and owners, Silver would be concerned with any publicity that could have a negative influence on profits. But patriotic gestures shouldn't be mandated or regulated. And the purpose of this protest shouldn't be diminished or trivialized with mendacious debates. Peaceful protest has proven to be effective and provocative without being disrespectful. Maintaining an archaic rule that doesn't exist in any other major professional sport seems unnecessary and contradictory to what's required to raise awareness to a serious social ill.
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Why NBA players should be allowed to take a knee

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The NBA already has a cap on salaries. No similar lid should be placed on dissent. If a player is so moved by the current climate to take a knee, sit on the bench or even stay in the locker room during the national anthem, the league should respect and applaud that courage, not punish it.

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NFL ratings and anthem protests: is there a connection?

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NFL ratings and anthem protests: is there a connection?

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CLOSE

Here's another strategy for morning-after quarterbacks to ponder: Are NFL players' kneeling protests hurting TV ratings and even, perhaps, driving down TV stocks?

The answer is likely to be as hotly contested as an NFL line of scrimmage. NFL ratings are down for the just-started season, just as they were last season, and the stocks of the major networks that have broadcast NFL games are falling, too. President Trump has linked the NFL's ratings, which he called "massively, massively" down, and players kneeling during the anthem, suggesting they were turning fans away.

The explanation for why the league's ratings are down is far more complicated. For a start, ratings for a variety of sports broadcasts have declined. NASCAR and the NBA have also drawn fewer TV viewers - likely influenced by huge shifts in the way fans watch sports and by other factors that may have drawn their attention away, from hurricanes to last year's drama-packed presidential election.

Before Trump's remarks on the NFL and his exhortation last weekend that fans boycott games if players didn't stand during the anthem, fans may have already tuned out in sympathy with Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who says he used the spotlight to protest oppression of black people by the criminal justice system. Others may have backed away because they disagreed with Kaepernick's actions, as Trump suggests. And still others may have dropped the NFL for a totally separate reason: because of mounting evidence that many players have suffered severe brain disease, TV analysts say.

Ratings, stocks down

What's not disputed is that NFL ratings were down about 10% for the first three weeks of the season, which started Sept. 7, with about 15.8 million viewers (watching live or on DVR same-day), compared to 17.6 million during the first three weeks of 2016, according to Nielsen data. That follows a trend last year of overall viewership during the 2016 regular season, when ratings fell 8%.

During this past week of games after Trump's Friday night remarks, NFL viewership fell 4% from the prior week (not counting ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast), Nielsen data shows. The NFL on Tuesday said that counting Monday Night Football, ratings in this most recent week climbed 3% from a year ago, when a presidential election debate conflicted with a game.

As the beginning of the NFL season has played out, stocks of networks that broadcast games and deliver pay-TV programming have taken hits, too. The overall stock market is up 2% in that time.

President Trump's comments that owners should fire or suspend players who protest, followed by tweets that called on fans to act, has sparked much broader protests. Many more NFL players kneeled as the national anthem was played at Sunday games.

One problem with making a direct, causal link between NFL ratings and protests: The firestorm of controversy in the past few days doesn't explain the down drift of ratings during the season's first two weeks, when any kneeling protest drew little attention, said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, a research firm that tracks media and entertainment.

More: DirecTV offering refunds to customers who want to cancel over NFL anthem protests

More: First-time NFL protesters explain how they became woke

More: Fans light NFL paraphernalia on fire

The cord-cutters

A second data point that's clear: TV watching of all stripes, not just sports, is losing its hold over the American viewer.

Fewer U.S. homes, 79%, are getting pay-TV service, down from 84% in 2014, Leichtman says. And that fragmentation of the viewing public as more customers cut, shave or shirk the pay-TV cord impacts viewership, too. NFL ratings do not include most streaming options.

"Over the past 20 years, there's been a proliferation in channels, and now you have even more choices ... (with) Netflix, (Amazon) Prime (Video) and Hulu," Leichtman said.

The NFL attempted to schedule more desirable prime-time matchups to stoke viewing this season, but that hasn't played out. "Despite that proactive attempt, this season also seems to be off to a weaker-than-expected start in terms of the overall ratings," said Tuna Amobi, an equity analyst at investment research firm CFRA.

But about connecting Trump's comments to viewing declines, "I would be hard-pressed to draw that correlation," he said.

Distractions

Hurricanes hitting the mainland - and subsequent recovery efforts - likely had an effect on viewership during the first two weeks with scores of Americans without electricity or too focused on the storms' aftermath to watch sports.

Last year, politics played a part in lower ratings, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who attributed some of the decline to the presidential election.

Anecdotal evidence suggests some Trump supporters punted the NFL after Kaepernick began his protest against the oppression of people of color by sitting and later kneeling during the anthem, says Brian Wieser, an analyst with Pivotal Research Group.

"But at the same time is it also possible that maybe these people were in areas where football is played more and there's actually more concern around head injuries ... or was that audience most distracted by election activity?"

Trump himself also acknowledged that other factors may have been at play, including "they like what's happening with ... yours truly" and restrictions to make the game safer for players.

CLOSE

Stocks of TV companies broadcasting NFL games have been on a losing streak recently, but the NFL alone isn't to blame, Wieser says. "The sector has a lot of negative factors weighing on it," including a weak advertising market, declining pay-TV subscribers and the move to create their own direct-to-consumer streaming services, he said.

CBS ( CBS) has seen its shares drop 9% over the past month to close at $58 Tuesday. Disney ( DIS), which owns ESPN, has fallen about 4% over the past month to $98.63; Comcast ( CMCSA), which owns NBC Universal, is down about 6% to $37.81; and Fox ( FOX) is down 2% to $26.42.

Also down: AT&T ( T), which owns DirecTV and offers its NFL Sunday Ticket package, is down 2% to $38.72, and TV operators Altice ( ATUS) and Dish Network ( DISH) have respective declines over the past month of 10% and nearly 8%.

Individually, however, networks had aspects to cheer about over the latest ratings. CBS said viewership of its Week 3 games rose 4% over last year, with its afternoon games (4:25 p.m. ET kickoff) including the Green Bay Packers' overtime win against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers being the highest-rated NFL game of the week. After factoring out weather for Week 1, Fox said its NFL viewership is down 5% from last year. But its Sunday Fox NFL Kickoff pregame show drew 39% more than last year, suggesting viewers were interested in discussion of the Trump-national anthem dispute.

(Photo: The Associated Press)

NBC's S unday Night Football won its prime-time slot with 17.6 million viewers, peaking with 19.4 million during the second quarter. ESPN reported a 71% hike in viewership for its Monday night game between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, compared to last season, based on early Nielsen data from specific markets.

The NFL will continue to attract bidders - the networks, DirecTV and others including Amazon, which will broadcast 10 Thursday Night Football games this year starting this week, paid about $7 billion for telecast rights.

However, there is "unquestionably an overhang to be addressed, given the way the season has started in terms of the ratings," Amobi said.

More: NFL says TV ratings are up 3% for Week 3 compared to 2016

More: How will the Trump-NFL controversy affect the league?
Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.
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Are NFL player protests 'massively, massively' hurting TV ratings?

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CLOSE Here's another strategy for morning-after quarterbacks to ponder: Are NFL players' kneeling protests hurting TV ratings and even, perhaps, driving down TV stocks? The answer is likely to be as hotly contested as an NFL line of scrimmage.

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Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has zero tolerance for football players who choose to kneel during the national anthem. Mast, who served as a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan, lost both of his legs in an IED blast. Yet, even he stands for Old Glory.

"I know as well as anyone that the act of standing is not something to be taken lightly," he added in a follow up Facebook post. "Here's when I've taken a knee: after jumping out of a helicopter, mourning a fallen brother and in church. During the National Anthem? Hell no."

Mast appeared on "Fox & Friends" Wednesday, where he explained how patriotism was "stolen" from us thanks to the NFL's antics.

President Trump shares Mast's impatience with the kneeling football players. At first he had insults for Colin Kaepernick and those who followed his lead, calling them "SOBs," but he took a more measured tone Tuesday at a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. At the presser, the president explained that he recently visited Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland, where he met some of those brave men and women who fought for our country and are now trying to recover from their wounds they endured for us. How can our athletes be so disrespectful after all veterans have sacrificed, Trump wondered aloud.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions agrees with the president and has even suggested the NFL take action to prevent any more footballers from disrespecting the anthem.

Over 150 players protested over the weekend, but plenty more stood for the red, white and blue. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had a touchdown take on the situation. To summarize his sentiments: You can protest Trump, but don't do it in front of the flag.

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Disabled Veteran Rep Has a Message for NFL Kneelers

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Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has zero tolerance for football players who choose to kneel during the national anthem. Mast, who served as a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan, lost both of his legs in an IED blast. Yet, even he stands for Old Glory.

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NFL has remained hands off on the kneeling 

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NFL has remained hands off on the kneeling 

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Taking a Knee or Taking a Stand on the NFL

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Though the anthem kneeling movement has drawn praise from the media, there are signs that it isn't being received as well by the general public.

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Last night before the start of Monday Night Football, the entire Dallas Cowboys team, led by team owner and Trump donor Jerry Jones, took a knee and then quickly rose before the National Anthem.

Afterwards, Jones said:

Our players wanted to make a statement about unity and we wanted to make a statement about equality. They were very much aware that statement, when made or when attempted to be made in and a part of the recognition of our flag, cannot only lead to criticism but also controversy. It was real easy for everybody in our organization to see that the message of unity, the message of equality was getting, if you will, pushed aside or diminished by the controversy. We even had the circumstances that it was being made into a controversy.

This incomprehensible word salad aside, there is something valuable, something we should not casually dismiss, about people in the NFL showing "unity" in the face of Donald Trump's grotesque bullying and transparent racism. But Jones's Hallmark-card blather as well as the NFL's incoherent "unity" commercial that aired during the Sunday-night game are a stark reminder that these league-backed protests had nothing to do with the original intent of anthem protests.

People like Jerry Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and all the owners, linking arms with their players, are as complicit in obscuring the actual meaning of taking a knee as Donald Trump himself. It's a case of competing narcissisms. We absolutely cannot allow this debate to become one of "unity" vs. "the flag" or a liberal brand of bumper-sticker patriotism ("Protest Is Patriotic") vs. the Trumpian brand ("Stand or Die!").

In contrast to these vulgar Caligulas, we have the proud silence of Colin Kaepernick: the person who first took that knee, whose continual unemployment stands as a stark reminder of the kinds of ideas too dangerous for the NFL to touch-ideas that Trump is too racist to engage in.

One is reminded of the chant that always rises during Pride marches, "Stonewall was a riot." This celebratory, now-corporatized parade started with LGBTQ people, led by trans women, standing up to police violence. The roots of "taking a knee" are, of course, quite similar. While Kaepernick is silent, his teammate on last year's 49ers, Eric Reid, wrote a tremendous op-ed for The New York Times about why he chose to take that knee with his quarterback. The opening paragraph cuts through all the obfuscation and cooptation we've seen and makes it devastatingly plain:

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Taking a Knee Is Not About Abstract Unity but Racial Justice

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Last night before the start of Monday Night Football, the entire Dallas Cowboys team, led by team owner and Trump donor Jerry Jones, took a knee and then quickly rose before the National Anthem. Afterwards, Jones said: Our players wanted to make a statement about unity and we wanted to make a statement about equality.

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If you want to take a knee...

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1911Addicts -The Premiere 1911 Forum For Enthusiasts

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The tone-deaf NFL has doubled down on its disrespectful behavior during the national anthem and in front of the American flag.

As players refuse to stand for the flag and literally hide in the locker room, patriotic citizens are becoming fed up with the childish displays.

A letter from a football fan is now going viral - and it perfectly summarizes the feelings of many Americans who are tired of watching millionaire professional players become so self-absorbed that they won't respect American traditions.

The note has been posted on many different online pages and forums, but it's original author is not currently known.

I see you...

I see you, professional football player, as you kneel down during the playing of the National Anthem...

I see you, with your arm raised in protest...

I see you thinking you are doing something to unite people over social and racial injustice.

I see you...

But, more than that here is what I really see...

I see a man pushing the wheels of his wheelchair as he returns home from a foreign land unable to function as he once did, due to fighting to protect you as you kneel on the ground.

I see a young widow, dressed carefully in black, mourning the remains of her husband, hugging a coffin on the tarmac of an airport. I see that same woman clutching a perfectly folded flag to her bosom as taps is played at his graveside. I see her young son, tears streaming down his face knowing his father would never come home again.

I see graveyards full of tombstones, here and overseas, with names of those fallen, with dates showing a much too early death. I see so many, from so many different wars and conflicts, crosses and stones. They are too numerous to count.

I see the sacrifices made, the hearts broken, the tears shed, the shattered lives all in the name of freedom... all in the name of that red, white and blue piece of cloth that you choose to protest.

Social and racial injustice? You who make millions of American dollars for playing a game in a country where you have more opportunity to make a better life for you and your family than anywhere in the world? Really? The hypocrisy of it astounds me.

First of all, if you really want to protest, give your money and time to make changes. Give to those less fortunate than you. Help those people get an education, buy them food and shelter. Show them opportunities to make better decisions. Teach them that they have a purpose in life.

If you really want to protest injustices...

Protest the treatment of veterans, who have to wait extremely long periods of time for healthcare, who are living under interstate bridges, in boxes, who are committing suicide. Today over twenty of them will take their lives out of hopelessness and despair.

Protest the people whose goal in life is to make sure an unborn baby doesn't see the light of day. There will be around 3,500 of them today. There is no greater injustice than that.

Protest the loss of religious rights as some atheist complained so much that public prayer by a group of young players on an athletic field is not allowed.

When I see that flag, when I hear that song, when I sing those words, I give homage to those who died for this land, who continue to protect this land, who don't know if and when they will ever see their loved ones again. Some say that they died for your freedom so that you can take a knee. I say they died for your freedom so you can stand proudly and be thankful that God has blessed you enough that you can live in a country of so much opportunity.

Go ahead...

Go ahead and kneel...

Go ahead and be ungrateful.

I am watching...

As are millions and millions of others.

We don't see a protest of unity... we see a protest of disgraceful ignorance.

We have already seen football fans turning off their television sets, tearing up season tickets, and canceling sports packages over their disgust with the behavior of players.

Unless players begin respecting the American flag once again, things will only get worse. If the NFL and other sports leagues are not careful, their self-inflicted damage will be permanent.

H/T The Firearms Forum

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Rant - Something I stumbled across that rings true

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The tone-deaf NFL has doubled down on its disrespectful behavior during the national anthem and in front of the American flag. As players refuse to stand for the flag and literally hide in the locker room, patriotic citizens are becoming fed up with the childish displays.

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Why Canada Should Support the Minorities

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Why Canada Should Support the Minorities

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Why Canadians need to support the 'Take a knee' protest | Simcoe.com

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Police violence against minorities is highly disproportionate in the United States.

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The mother of a 6-year-old Florida boy who took a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance on Monday morning criticized the way the school handled the incident.

Eugenia McDowell told ABC News that her son knelt down during the daily pledge to the flag at Wiregrass Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, Florida. The incident occurred after a weekend of demonstrations across the NFL in which many players, owners, and teams engaged in peaceful protests by sitting, kneeling or locking arms during the national anthem.

McDowell said she did not know her son was going to kneel and was informed of the incident in a text message from the boy's teacher Monday evening.

The message, seen by ABC News, read: "I knew where he had seen it [going down on one knee], but I did tell him that in the classroom, we are learning what it means to be a good citizen, we're learning about respecting the United States of America and our country symbols and showing loyalty and patriotism and that we stand for the Pledge of Allegiance."

McDowell said her son was publicly admonished for his gesture of silent protest, a move she said stifles his voice and freedom of speech. But according to Pasco County School District Spokesperson Linda Cobbe, the boy's teacher does not believe any other students saw her admonishment. Cobbe said the teacher mouthed the words, "We stand for the pledge" in response to the boy's decision to take a knee.

Cobbe said the school's policy is that students must have a written letter from a parent advising the school that the student does not plan to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Florida state law does allow a student to be excused from "reciting the pledge, including standing and placing the right hand over his or her heart" if a written request from a parent is made.

"Our policy -- and state law, for that matter -- requires that a parent submit a request in writing that their student be exempted from participating in the pledge," Cobbe told ABC News.

McDowell had not submitted such a letter to the school, Cobbe added, but if she had, the incident would have been treated differently. McDowell said she was not aware of that policy, had not sent a letter in and does not plan on doing so.

"If he had that exemption, nothing would have been said. Students could stand, students could kneel, they don't have to put their hand on their heart. They just have to be respectful of the students who are participating," Cobbe said.

McDowell said she reached out to the school after the incident in an email seen by ABC News to set up a meeting with her son's teacher and the principal about the issue.

"In my email, I wrote we may have to consider changing his classroom. I wasn't ready to make that decision until a discussion with them [the school principal and teacher] took place," McDowell said. "I wanted an apology to my son in the same manner that she called him out for kneeling. I also wanted to know if she would be remorseful. If she demonstrated that, then I would have been okay with him remaining in her class."

But she said she learned Wednesday that her son had already been assigned to a new teacher, which was confirmed by the school district's spokesperson.

"What he did was have a difference of opinion. He was not being disrespectful. He was silently protesting and exercising his constitutional right," McDowell said. "My concern is she infringe upon his constitutional right to express himself, to protest peacefully, and she also made him feel like his decision to come up with his own opinion about things was the wrong thing to do."

McDowell said she and the school principal plan to meet on Wednesday. She said she hopes this is the start of a greater conversation about allowing and respecting children's rights to express themselves in a peaceful way.

"We are no longer going be silenced, our voices will be heard and our little black boys that sit in classrooms today, not just my son but every other child that looks like him, they are not going to be silenced," McDowell said.

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6-year-old admonished for taking a knee during Pledge of Allegiance at Florida school

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The mother of a 6-year-old Florida boy who took a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance on Monday morning criticized the way the school handled the incident. Eugenia McDowell told ABC News that her son knelt down during the daily pledge to the flag at Wiregrass Elementary School in Wesley Chapel,...

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Kneeling During the National Anthem is Disrespectful Says 

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Kneeling During the National Anthem is Disrespectful Says 

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NHLer Ward should pass on taking a knee in protest during anthem: Cherry

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Don Cherry was on his way to read the names of the war dead at the Invictus Games when he heard an NHLer was thinking about taking a knee during the national anthems in solidarity with NFL players.

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Why are we supposed to stand?

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The NFL isn't just the biggest sport in America; it's become the biggest story. Period.

After a weekend that featured United States President Donald Trump attacking the league and displays during the national anthem, all eyes were fixated on how teams responded across the sport.

From three Giants players kneeling for the first time, to a show of Eagles unity in Philadelphia, to Jets coach Todd Bowles' emotional response, to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropping to a knee before the national anthem on Monday Night Football, to the Pittsburgh Steelers (at least most of them) staying in the locker room for the anthem, the rhetoric hasn't stopped.

Yet despite the new (response to Trump) or old (social and racial injustice in this country) reasons for each individual player to do something other than stand at attention during the anthem, most Americans seem to be on the President's side here--at least when it comes to the issue of standing during the anthem.

According to a poll conducted by the Remington Research Group on Sept. 25, 64 percent of 1,633 responders believe players should stand and be respectful during the anthem.

That goes hand-in-hand with this tweet by the President.

Tremendous backlash against the NFL and its players for disrespect of our Country.#StandForOurAnthem[?] [?]
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017

The reaction didn't fall only across political party lines.

According to the results, 91% of Republicans, 60% of Non-Partisans, and 43% of Democrats believe players should stand.
OBJ antics at Trump?
Nearly half (46 percent) of responders claim to now have an unfavorable opinion of the NFL.

With the protests revved up to a higher level, Week 4 should be a fascinating tipping point for the league and its fans.
Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Majority with Trump on NFL anthem issue, poll says

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The NFL isn't just the biggest sport in America; it's become the biggest story. Period. After a weekend that featured United States President Donald Trump attacking the league and displays during the national anthem, all eyes were fixated on how teams responded across the sport.

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The NFL's rulebook contains a regulation specifically requiring players to stand on the sideline during the pre-game playing of the U.S. national anthem.

The NFL's rulebook says nothing about player conduct during the pre-game playing of the U.S. national anthem.

WHAT'S FALSE

The NFL's game operations manual may contain a policy stating that players must be present on the sidelines during the national anthem, but not that they must stand.

Partway into the 2017 NFL season, the practice begun by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the previous year's exhibition season - of kneeling on the sidelines (rather than standing) during the playing of the U.S. national anthem before games in order to symbolize opposition to racial injustice in America - had become widespread around the league. Many players - and some whole teams - had similarly started "taking a knee" on the sidelines, or staying in the locker room, while pre-game renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" were played in football stadiums.

The protest gained momentum after United States President Donald Trump issued comments prior to the NFL's Week 3 schedule suggesting that football players who declined to stand during the national anthem should be fined, that fans should boycott games, and that the league should alter their policy to force players to stand during pre-game ceremonies:

If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

...our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017

During that weekend's games, an item began circulating via social media proclaiming that the NFL League Rulebook specifically required that all players must be on the sideline during the playing of the national anthem, and that "failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s)":

The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the NFL League Rulebook. It states:

'The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition ... It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.'

However, no such wording appears in the 2017 version of the Official Playing Rules of the National Football League (which the NFL also sometimes refers to as an "operations manual"): Pages 62 and 63 contain only regulations about the enforcement of fouls committed on the field during gameplay, and nowhere else does that document specify anything about the either the playing of the national anthem prior to games or the required behavior of players and team personnel during that ceremony. In fact, the rulebook makes no mention of the national anthem at all.

Rule 4, which covers Game Timing, states only that both teams must be on the field before the scheduled start time of the first and second halves, and must initially appear on the field at least 10 minutes early in order to allow sufficient time for warming up:

Both teams must be on the field to kick off at the scheduled time for the start of each half. Prior to the start of the game, both teams are required to appear on the field at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled kickoff in order to ensure sufficient time for proper warm-up. Designated members of the officiating crew must notify both head coaches personally of the scheduled time for kickoff prior to the start of each half.

Rule 5, which covers Players, Substitutes, Equipment, and General Rules, does include (in Article 8) a section prohibiting players from "conveying personal messages" throughout the game day while they are visible to fans in attendance and television audiences, and from "convey[ing] messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes ...":

Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office. Items to celebrate anniversaries or memorable events, or to honor or commemorate individuals, such as helmet decals, and arm bands and jersey patches on players' uniforms, are prohibited unless approved in advance by the League office. All such items approved by the League office, if any, must relate to team or League events or personages. The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and noncontroversial; must not be worn for more than one football season; and if approved for use by a specific team, must not be worn by players on other teams in the League.

However, some sources have confusingly stated that the NFL has a separate game operations manual distributed to all the teams, and it is that document, not the rulebook, which supposedly includes the wording in question regarding player conduct during the national anthem:

It's important to know that NFL football games are governed by multiple codes of conduct. One is the NFL rulebook; another is the NFL game operations manual. The rulebook is concerned with in-game actions by players and coaches (like scoring, penalties, challenges and so on), whereas the game-operations manual dictates how NFL games should be run in the bigger-picture organizational sense.

"The league's Game Operations Department uses the manual to govern the conduct of home clubs, to ensure they protect players and provide the conditions for a fair and fan-friendly contest," reads the NFL's website. "Clubs face warnings and other penalties for noncompliance."

The NFL rulebook makes no mention of the national anthem. But the game operations manual does.

Here's what the game operations manual says regarding the national anthem, according to an NFL spokesperson:

'The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem.

'During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.'

We have not yet been able to independently confirm the existence and wording of this second document (the NFL has not responded to our query), but the proffered wording - which league spokesman Brian McCarthy described as a "policy" rather than a "rule" - states that players must "be" on the sideline for the national anthem, not that they must "stand" on the sideline (the latter is listed only as something players "should" do). The wording also establishes that players "may" (not "shall") be penalized for not observing the regulation, and indeed the NFL announced that they would not take any disciplinary measures over players' remaining in the locker room before Week 3 games:

The NFL will not discipline those teams and players who refused to be on the field for the playing of the national anthem before games Sunday, league spokesman Joe Lockhart said.

"There will be no discipline handed down this week," Lockhart, the NFL's executive vice president of communications and public affairs, said in a conference call with reporters.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans were not on the field for the anthem.

When Colin Kaepernick first made waves by kneeling during pre-game ceremonies back in August 2016, the NFL issued a statement proclaiming that "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the National Anthem." NBC News similarly observed that "The NFL has no such rule, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement is silent on the subject."

Nonetheless, could Article 8, Rule 5 of the rulebook itself be interpreted as requiring NFL players to stand on the sidelines during the national anthem? The latter part of it would not seem to apply, as players who kneel or remain in the locker room during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" are not wearing, or affixing to their uniforms, any symbols related to their protest. The first part seemingly provides league officials broad latitude to determine what constitutes a "personal message," but as James Dator noted in addressing this issue on SBNATION, it's unlikely that section could or would be applied to the current protests:

Despite claims over what is or isn't "acceptable," none of them hold weight. Potential disciplinary action over how players act during the anthem would need to be in place under the collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA, and to make matters more complicated, several states that have teams also extend first-amendment protection to employees of private businesses while at work.

CORRECTION: We have changed the status of this article from "FALSE" to "MIXTURE" due to possible confusion over the existence and wording of two similarly identified documents.

Got a tip or a rumor? Contact us here.

Snopes Delivered to Your Inbox:

Dator, James. "Are NFL Players Required to Be on the Field for the National Anthem?"
SBNation. 24 September 2017.

Scholes, Ty. "Are NFL Football Players Required to Stand for the National Anthem?"
WXIA-TV [Atlanta] 24 September 2017.

Florio, Mike. "NFL: Players Are Encouraged But Not Required to Stand for National Anthem."
NBC Sports. 27 August 2016.

Fitzpatrick, Alex. "Does the NFL Require Players to Stand for the National Anthem?"
Time. 25 September 2017.

Boren, Cindy. "Steelers' Mike Tomlin Says Team Won't Take the Field for Anthem."
The Washington Post. 24 September 2017.

Maske, Mark. "No Discipline for Anthem-Skipping Teams as NFL Fires Back at Trump."
The Washington Post. 25 September 2017.

Carter, Allison. "What the NFL Policy Book Says About the National Anthem."
IndyStar.com. 25 September 2017.

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FACT CHECK: Are NFL Players Required to Stand on the Field During the National Anthem?

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The NFL's rulebook contains a regulation specifically requiring players to stand on the sideline during the pre-game playing of the U.S. national anthem. The NFL's rulebook says nothing about player conduct during the pre-game playing of the U.S. national anthem.

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Scientists around the world just joined the "take a knee" protest movement

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Scientists are the latest to "take a knee" against racial injustice, marking a possible turn for the movement

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"My feelings are that to respect the flag and the anthem does not mean you respect or condone every slight or injustice that takes place in the nation they represent...

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Charlie Daniels wants those taking a knee during the national anthem to pick another song to protest.

The country legend is a season ticket holder for the Tennessee Titans who remained in their locker room during "Sunday Night Football" on Sept. 24 to protest President Trump saying players who take a knee or disrespect the American flag should be fired.

"I love the Titans, but I love America more, and I will not stand by and see America insulted and belittled," Daniels said on the Big D & Bubba radio show.

The "Devil Went Down to Georgia" singer said while he supports everyone'srights to protest, he doesn't understand why they chose the national anthem to protest.

"You take a bunch of guys who make...a million dollars a year that can't find something good about this country to celebrate when they're playing the National Anthem? I don't understand it," Daniels said. "People say they have a right to do it, I know they have a right to do it. They also got a right to do a lot of things they never would dream of doing."

The 80-year-old further explained his views on the protests in a blog post on his website.

"My feelings are that to respect the flag and the anthem does not mean you respect or condone every slight or injustice that takes place in the nation they represent, but, and especially in such a public venue, you are showing that you do respect the freedoms we enjoy as a people and the ones who have given and even currently risking their lives to ensure that we stay a free and sovereign nation," Daniels wrote.

The singer added, "Have we reached a point in America that even a sporting event has to be politicized?"

You can find Sasha Savitsky on Twitter @SashaFB.

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Charlie Daniels slams NFL protests: 'I will not stand by and see America insulted'

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Charlie Daniels wants those taking a knee during the national anthem to pick another song to protest. The country legend is a season ticket holder for the Tennessee Titans who remained in their locker room during "Sunday Night Football" on Sept.

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There are only two occasions a man should be on his knees.

When he's praying to God or proposing marriage to the woman he loves.

That's it.

Before we even get to the disrespect and ingratitude that NFL players are showing to this land of opportunity, and all who have sacrificed for our freedoms, let's consider what else kneeling signifies. No red-blooded, testosterone-jacked man should ever be in a position of submission, as kneeling signifies weakness and capitulation across cultures - and continents.

When ISIS chops off victims' heads, they are on their knees.

When Iran captured a U.S. Navy vessel in the Persian Gulf last year, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard forced 10 American soldiers to get on their knees and disseminated those images via propaganda messages - to humiliate America and our military.

Again, no American football player, athlete or any other self-respecting man should ever willingly get on his knees unless he's at God's mercy or giving his heart to a woman he's truly, deeply, madly in love with.

It's about pride and never parting with your masculinity or dignity - even for a minute.

Yet on Sunday more than 200 NFL players - including 16 New England Patriots players - took a knee during the national anthem, refusing to stand for the American flag - a hard-fought symbol of freedom - over a witches brew of cultural and political issues ranging from perceived racism, anti-cop grievances surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement or just plain old anger toward President Trump for a poorly worded tweet - "If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!"

What NFL players should understand - along with NFL owners, the commissioner and ESPN - is that the world has problems. People have grievances with society, government or even the police. But one of the many reasons millions of regular, non-millionaire Americans watch sports, attend games or support the industry as a whole is to escape. The day-to-day grind that is our workweek. The hardships and challenges we all face in our lives from dreaded commuter traffic to the serious stuff - like battling cancer or burying a loved one. And, for a little while, to escape this nation's bitter, divisive politics.

What Americans don't want is social justice warriors hijacking sports. If it's so hard for them to respect the flag, maybe athletes should think about respecting their fans and keep their politics off the field.

There is one other time you take a knee, and that's in football. When you don't want to be tackled. The way the fans booed on Sunday, the players and the league better tread carefully now, or they won't know what hit them.
Adriana Cohen is the host of the "Adriana Cohen Show" on Boston Herald Radio airing Wednesdays at noon. Follow her on Twitter @AdrianaCohen16.

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Adriana Cohen: Protesters should know taking a knee signals weakness

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There are only two occasions a man should be on his knees.When he's praying to God or proposing marriage to the woman he loves.That's it.Before we even get to the disrespect and ingratitude that NFL players are showing to this land of opportunity, and all who have sacrificed for our freedoms, let's consider what else kneeling signifies.

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A female-only league in which the athletes are obliged to wear skimpy outfits will not back the NFL #TakeAKnee demonstrations because the national anthem is "too sacred" to protest.

The Legends Football League (LFL) - formerly known as the Lingerie Football League - issued a statement Wednesday suggesting the 'Star Spangled Banner' should not be subject to protest.
READ MORE: 'We'll show games when you show respect': Restaurants boycott NFL over #TakeAKnee protest
"The LFL has and always will be in full recognition of our athlete's First Amendment right to protest. However from the league's standpoint, our national anthem and flag are too sacred to the fabric of our country, not to celebrate," the statement read.

The response was accompanied by a video of LFL athletes in cleavage-baring uniforms standing for the national anthem before games.

The league's declaration comes on the back of a foul-mouthed diatribe by US President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump labelled any NFL player protesting police brutality during the anthem as a "son of a bitch."

The Republican president also suggested that athletes who "disrespect" the flag by kneeling should be fired by their employers.
READ MORE: 'Get that son of a bitch off the field': Trump takes aim at NFL anthem protesters (VIDEOS)
Kneeling during the anthem gained widespread attention in the NFL in 2016, when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first did so in solidarity with minority groups impacted by police brutality.

It divided sports fans and on Monday night the Dallas Cowboys were booed by sections of the crowd after the entire team linked arms and knelt before a game against the Arizona Cardinals.

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'Lingerie football' players stand for anthem amid NFL #TakeAKnee protest (VIDEO)

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A female-only league in which the athletes are obliged to wear skimpy outfits will not back the NFL #TakeAKnee demonstrations because the national anthem is "too sacred" to protest. The Legends Football League (LFL) - formerly known as the Lingerie Football League - issued a statement Wednesday suggesting the 'Star Spangled Banner' should not be subject to protest.

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President Donald Trump attacked NFL players protesting during the national anthem on Friday and subsequently told his followers on Twitter to boycott the league, many players who hadn't participated in the movement started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the past joined. There were widespread protests throughout the NFL on Sunday as well as statements from teams league and players' union in response to Trump.
Related:

NFL players responded to Donald Trump with more protests than ever

Alejandro Villanueva, a U.S. Army veteran, was the lone Steeler on the field during national anthem The NFL's day of protest in 16 powerful photos Sean Payton says White House needs 'a little bit more wisdom' in response to Donald Trump Donald Trump says his comments on NFL player protest 'have nothing to do with race'
The most noteworthy part of a national anthem before a sporting event used to be a great singing performance or a riveting flyover. Colin Kaepernick changed that. All eyes during the anthem are now on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and other athletes who have joined him in sitting or kneeling during the anthem.

Kaepernick began sitting during the national anthem this preseason. A silent protest to show support for people of color who are being oppressed in the United States, and to take a stand against police brutality. It's an effort to use his voice and his position as a NFL player to effect change for the people who are suffering, and don't have the same ability to create significant change.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick said, via NFL.com. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Initially, Kaepernick was alone in his protest. And unnoticed. His protest didn't come to light and gain national attention until the third preseason game. Since then, he's continued on with his protest while being joined by several other NFL players, other professional, college and high school athletes.

Here is a complete timeline of Kaepernick's protest and the other athletes who has followed suit.

Aug. 14 and Aug. 20 - Kaepernick goes unnoticed while sitting during the anthem

Kaepernick made headlines when he sat during the 49ers third preseason game, but he also sat during the first two games, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Kaepernick wasn't in uniform and didn't play during the first two games.

Aug. 26 - Kaepernick gains attention for his protest

There was no grand unveiling of Kaepernick's sitting protest. Instead, Jennifer Lee Chan of Niners Nation tweeted out a photo of the anthem, unrelated to Kaepernick sitting. The story gained national attention later that night and the 49ers released a statement confirming Kaepernick sat for the anthem.

Kaepernick told the media after the game he sat because of the oppression of people of color and ongoing issues with police brutality.

Aug. 28 - Kaepernick expands on his reasoning for the protest

Kaepernick met with the media two days after the game and for the first time since the protest gained national attention. He reiterated that he was acting to give a voice to people who didn't have one.

"I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there's significant change and I feel that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to, I'll stand."

"This stand wasn't for me. This is because I'm seeing things happen to people that don't have a voice, people that don't have a platform to talk and have their voices heard, and effect change. So I'm in the position where I can do that and I'm going to do that for people that can't."

"It's something that can unify this team. It's something that can unify this country. If we have these real conversations that are uncomfortable for a lot of people. If we have these conversations, there's a better understanding of where both sides are coming from."

"I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country. I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That's not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn't holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody. That's something that's not happening. I've seen videos, I've seen circumstances where men and women that have been in the military have come back and been treated unjustly by the country they fought have for, and have been murdered by the country they fought for, on our land. That's not right."

Sept. 1 - Kaepernick takes a knee during the anthem and is joined by teammate Eric Reid

For the first time during his protest, Kaepernick wasn't alone. San Francisco safety Eric Reid expressed support for Kaepernick prior to the game and showed it during the anthem by joining him in taking a knee.

From the time the protest gained attention, Kaepernick reiterated he was not doing it to be anti-American or anti-military or to disrespect troops. He was doing it to bring serious social issues to light and try to evoke change. That stance led to him slightly adjusting the protest. Kaepernick met with former Green Beret and brief NFL long snapper Nate Boyer, and after the discussion decided to shift from sitting to taking a knee during the anthem.

"We were talking to [Boyer] about how can we get the message back on track and not take away from the military, not take away from fighting for our country, but keep the focus on what the issues really are. And as we talked about it, we came up with taking a knee. Because there are issues that still need to be addressed and it was also a way to show more respect to the men and women who fight for this country."

After the game, Kaepernick announced a plan to donate $1 million to the charities that focus on racial issues.

Sept. 1 - Jeremy Lane of the Seattle Seahawks sits during the national anthem

Lane became the first non-teammate to join Kaepernick in protest. He sat on the bench prior to the national anthem in Oakland, just minutes after Kaepernick and Reid took a knee during the anthem in San Diego.

"I wasn't trying to say anything. Just standing behind Kaepernick," Lane said following the game. He added that he would keep doing it until he felt like justice was served.

Sept. 4 - Megan Rapinoe kneels during the national anthem in support of Colin Kaepernick

@JohnDHalloran pic.twitter.com/XJHiOhgbTW
- ❤️NWSL⚽️ (@gbpackfan32) September 5, 2016

Before the NWSL match between the Seattle Reign and Chicago Red Stars, Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem, while the rest of her teammates remained standing. She expressed solidarity with Kaepernick, saying that, as a gay American, she knows "what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties," and that "it's important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this."

Not everyone in the soccer world was happy with Rapinoe's actions. Before Sept. 7's match between the Washington Spirit and the Seattle Reign, the Spirit rescheduled the national anthem to play while both teams were still in their locker rooms, in order to prevent Rapinoe from protesting. "We respectfully disagree with her method of hijacking our organization's event to draw attention to what is ultimately a personal -- albeit worthy -- cause," the Spirit said in an emailed statement. Rapinoe expressed anger over the decision, saying that it was "f**king unbelievable," and claiming that it was Spirit owner Bill Lynch's homophobia that influenced the reschedule.

And on Sept. 15, U.S. Soccer expressed disappointment in Rapinoe's protest, sending out a statement that pleaded for players and coaches to use the national anthem as a moment "to reflect upon the liberties and freedom we all appreciate in this country." It was an ironic and tone-deaf statement, considering that Rapinoe and Kaepernick's protests are addressing the reality that, for many marginalized Americans who don't fit into the "all" category, they lack the opportunity to truly "appreciate" freedom.

Sept. 9 - Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall takes a knee during the national anthem at the NFL regular season opener

Marshall became the first player to take a knee or sit during the anthem prior to a regular season game. He was a college teammate of Kaepernick at the University of Nevada. Like Kaepernick, Marshall said it was about social change.

"I'm not against the military. I'm not against the police or America," Marshall said, according to the Denver Post. "I'm against social injustice.

"Kaep, he's using his platform how he wants to use it, to reach the masses," Marshall said. "We have freedom of speech. But then we use our platform, and we get bashed for it. It's almost like they want us to only go with the grain. And once we go against the grain, it's an issue."

A Colorado credit union and CenturyLink subsequently terminated sponsorship agreements with Marshall.

"While we acknowledge Brandon's right, we also believe that whatever issues we face, we also occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to our common bond as a nation," CenturyLink said in a statement. "In our view, the national anthem is one of those moments. For this reason, while we wish Brandon the best this season, we are politely terminating our agreement with him."

Sept. 11 - Seahawks, Dolphins, Chiefs and Patriots players demonstrate during nation anthem

The first Sunday of the NFL season took place on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. This made the national anthem ceremonies on that day particularly emotional. Four Dolphins players - running back Arian Foster, safety Michael Thomas, wide receiver Kenny Stills and linebacker Jelani Jenkins - took a knee during the anthem after standing up for a 9/11 acknowledgment.

After the game, Foster explained that he loves the country and the rights it affords him. He later tweeted "don't let the love for a symbol overrule the love for your fellow human."

No Seahawks players took a knee during the anthem, but the entire team did link arms as a way of honoring the flag and continuing the conversation that Kaepernick started.

The Kansas Chiefs locked arms before kickoff of their game with the San Diego Chargers. Cornerback Marcus Peters held up a fist, saying he supported Kaepernick's efforts to raise awareness to the justice system.

Marcus Peters with raised fist during Anthem. Locked arms by #Chiefs. No one sat or knelt. #USA pic.twitter.com/zfHgrphj6l
- Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) September 11, 2016

Prior to Sunday Night Football, Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett and safety Devin McCourty also raised their fists after the national anthem.

Sept. 12 - Eric Reid kneels alongside Colin Kaepernick. 49ers teammates and Rams players raise their fists

Kaepernick maintained his protest, and was joined by several players set to take the field before Monday Night Football. As expected, safety Eric Reid knelt next to the quarterback during the national anthem, just as he did during the last week of the preseason. 49ers linebacker Eli Harold and safety Antoine Bethea stood, but with their fists raised in the air.

The 49ers players were joined by their opponents. Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (No. 94) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (No. 18) also stood with their fists in the air.

After the anthem, Kaepernick was embraced by several of his teammates before the game kicked off.

Sept. 16 - All of Garfield High School's football players and coaches kneel during the national anthem

WATCH: entire Garfield HS football team and coaching staff kneels during national anthem pic.twitter.com/LSTqku9QDb
- Heather Graf (@HeatherGrafK5) September 17, 2016

Joined by a few players from the West Seattle Wildcats, Garfield High School's football players and coaches kneeled during "The Star-Spangled Banner," which head coach Joey Thomas said would continue for the rest of the season. Speaking with the Seattle Times, Thomas was candid about racial injustice and the team being compelled to protest the anthem, especially after players learned about the song's racist third verse:

"Everybody wants to talk about how this is disrespectful to the American flag," Garfield coach Joey Thomas said. "That's a smokescreen. How about we talk about the issues people are kneeling and fighting for? If we could start addressing the issues and finding solutions to the issues, we won't have to kneel."

Sept. 16 - Twelve high school football players in Sacramento take a knee during the national anthem

Twelve football players from Laguna Creek High School took a knee during the national anthem. According to the Sacramento Bee, a number of parents reportedly told the players to "stand up." The Elk Grove School District announced in a statement that it would not discipline the students, saying that although it supports standing for the national anthem, it "respects and supports our students' individual experiences and their right to exercise their freedom of speech and expression protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution."

Sept. 17 - Howard University cheerleaders kneel during the national anthem

Before Howard took on Hampton University at the AT&T Nation's Football Classic, Howard University's cheerleaders took a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner." Zachary Johnson, Howard's executive president for the school of communications, who took the photo, told CNN that Howard's players did not kneel, but raised their fists instead.

Salute to the Howard University Cheerleaders for exercising their right to kneel during the national anthem. ✊ pic.twitter.com/dgTk52QoXD
- Zachary Johnson (@ZachJ2019) September 17, 2016

Johnson: "We can't even exercise our constitutional right to protest without being criticized," he said. "It's a conversation starter."

Sept. 18 - More 49ers join Kaepernick, Dolphins continue protest

Kaepernick's teammates Antoine Bethea, Eli Harold, Jaquiski Tartt and Rashard Robinson joined in protesting during the national anthem by raising their right fists ahead of San Francisco's game vs. the Carolina Panthers.

Meanwhile in Foxboro three of the same Miami Dolphins players continued their protest. Arian Foster, safety Michael Thomas and wide receiver Kenny Stills all kneeled during the anthem.

Sept. 19 - Four Eagles raise their fists during the anthem

Prior to the game, Malcolm Jenkins said the Eagles would protest during the anthem. Jenkins was joined by Steven Means, Ron Brooks and Marcus Smith (not pictured) in raising a fist while standing during the anthem.

Sept. 20 - Honor Band kneels while playing the national anthem before A's game

In support of Colin Kaepernick's protest against racial injustice, several members of Oakland Unified School District's Honor Band took a knee while playing "The Star-Spangled Banner." It happened toward the end of the song, which you can see in the video below, and you can hear the audience cheering as they kneel.

Band director Zack Pitt-Smith said he didn't know until rehearsal that the band was going to kneel, saying that the idea originally came from a few students and eventually spread around. John Sasaki, a spokesperson for the school district, stated that the organization was "proud" of its students for making the decision to kneel:

"They knew that this was a controversial issue across our nation, and yet they decided to go ahead with their protest knowing it would not be well-received by some Americans."

Sept. 20 - Marshawn Lynch expresses support for Colin Kaepernick

During his appearance on Conan, Marshawn Lynch was asked about his thoughts on Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. Lynch said he'd rather see Kaepernick " take a knee than stand up, put his hands up, and get murdered."

Sept. 21 - Iman Shumpert announces he will raise money for families impacted by police fatalities

On his Twitter and Instagram accounts, Shumpert announced that, for every steal he makes during the 2016-17 NBA season, he will donate money to organizations that aim to "improve the struggle between the badge and the citizen." While showing support for Kaepernick, he also noted that he would not be kneeling during the national anthem, despite originally hinting at it in a song he released on Sept. 16 titled "His Story," saying "I no longer believe taking a knee is the answer."

#stealthefear #steal fear Call my phone @Kaepernick7 let's make something happen! pic.twitter.com/iUmWhhMMzJ
- Iman Shumpert I (@imanshumpert) September 21, 2016

Sept. 21 - Entire Indiana Fever team and two Phoenix Mercury players kneel during the national anthem

Before the first game of the WNBA playoffs, every player on the Indiana Fever locked arms and kneeled during the national anthem, while the Mercury's Kelsey Bone and Mistie Bass joined them on the other side. Afterward, Fever coach Stephanie White told her team that she was "proud of y'all for doing that together."

Sept. 22 - Colin Kaepernick is featured on the cover of Time magazine

Time premiered the cover for its Oct. 3 issue, featuring Kaepernick kneeling in his full 49ers uniform. The issue includes a cover story from Sean Gregory, where Kaepernick's protest is a centerpiece in a larger conversation among athletes regarding sports activism and patriotism.

TIME's new cover: The perilous fight. How national anthem protests led by Colin Kaepernick are fueling a debate https://t.co/FsZoblqj0b pic.twitter.com/pCVB3wM2kp
- TIME (@TIME) September 22, 2016

Sept. 22 - Houston's Duane Brown raises a fist while standing during the national anthem

Brown didn't play due to an injury, but did participate in the protest for the first time this season. He had been vocal about recent police shootings, according to Aaron Wilson.

Oct. 1 - Members of East Carolina University's band kneel during the anthem

Before East Carolina took on the University of Central Florida, a few members of ECU's band took a knee during the national anthem. People in the crowd noticed, and the response was split between students and alum.

Just feet frm the American flag, members of the @ECUBand kneel. Their right to do so. @ECUAthletics #ecuvsucf ☠️ pic.twitter.com/9PAypkliib
- Michael Aho (@ahomichael) October 1, 2016

As a member of the marching band, it's in your job description to stand & PLAY the national anthem #disgusted #disappointed ❤️ #ECU pic.twitter.com/hgCe33MEkE
- Holly Modlin (@yohoholls) October 1, 2016

When it came time for the band to perform at halftime, there were many boos directed at them.

The ECU Band was boo'ed loudly during halftime of today's game. pic.twitter.com/iA2T21XDwd
- Pirate Radio (@pirateradio1250) October 1, 2016

ECU chancellor Cecil Staton issued a statement shortly after, saying that the school "respects the rights of our students, staff and faculty to express their personal views."

Statement by #ECU chancellor Cecil Staton on the marching band members kneeling during the anthem. pic.twitter.com/KtZXvWtkSO
- Michael Prunka (@MichaelPrunka) October 1, 2016
Oct. 4 - Rockets, Knicks and Celtics stand united during the anthem
The Rockets and Knicks opened the preseason joined arm in arm.

The Celtics also showed unity as a team, standing together with their arms crossed and heads down.
Oct. 11 - Singer Leah Tysse takes a knee while signing the national anthem prior to a Kings game
Tysse knelt while singing the the lyric "land of the free, home of the brave." Here is part of what she said about the decision.

This act embodies the conflict many of us feel. I love and honor my country as deeply as anyone yet it is my responsibility as an American to speak up against injustice as it affects my fellow Americans. I have sung the anthem before but this time taking a knee felt like the most patriotic thing I could do. I cannot idly stand by as black people are unlawfully profiled, harassed and killed by our law enforcement over and over and without a drop of accountability.

Nov. 6 - Brandon Marshall decides to stand during the anthem again

Before the Broncos' Sunday Night Football matchup against the Raiders, Marshall explained in an Instagram post why he would no longer kneel during the national anthem.

"I'm encouraged with the many productive discussions and progress that has taken place as the Denver Police department has decided to review its use of force policy, " Marshall wrote. "I'm proud to have joined so many of my peers throughout sports who've also made their own statements.

"Going forward, I will be standing for the National Anthem - not because everything is perfect, or because I'm changing my stance on things. But because of my hope for what we can become. Just because I am standing doesn't mean the work will end. There's much work to be done. I'll continue to recognize and support organizations that are stepping up as leaders and making a real difference in our community, and I will do my part to be there for those in need."

Marshall added that he was standing for the Idriss Stelley Foundation, a charitable organization that gives free support to victims of police violence, as well as the family of O'Shaine Evans, a 26-year-old man who was shot and killed by San Francisco police in 2014.
Aug. 12, 2017 - Marshawn Lynch kneels after coming out of retirement
Lynch was retired during the 2016 season, but returned to join the Oakland Raiders in the offseason. While he didn't play in the team's preseason opener, he made his thoughts on the last year's events regarding Kaepernick clear by taking a sit on the bench during the playing of the National Anthem.
Aug. 13, 2017 - Michael Bennett remains seated during the national anthem
The outspoken Bennett has expressed support for Kaepernick in the past, and on Sunday as the Seahawks faced the Chargers in preseason action, he remained seated for the national anthem.

.@Seahawks Michael Bennett during anthem pic.twitter.com/RVbpZhyaAZ
- Dennis Bernstein (@DennisTFP) August 14, 2017

Focus on Kaepernick's message and not his method

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All the athletes who joined Kaepernick's national anthem protest

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Colin Kaepernick was alone in his early protests, but has now been joined by athletes from around the sports world.

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National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell issued a 1 minute and 21 second apology on 5 June, following several years of debate within the NFL as well as among fans, Donald Trump and countless pundits who criticised Colin Kaepernick and other players' silent protests against police brutality.

Mr Goodell's message came nearly two weeks after the police killing of George Floyd, whose Memorial Day death and the killings of other black Americans have galvanised global protests against police violence and racism.

But in the commissioner's message, Kaepernick - the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who protested police brutality against black Americans by taking a knee during the national anthem - was notably absent.

"We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong," the commissioner said. "We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter. ... The protests around the country are emblematic of the centuries of silence, inequality and oppression of black players, coaches, fans and staff. We are listening."

A wave of players in the NFL and in other sports followed Kaepernick's example, morphing into a direct resistance against the president after he condemned it. The NFL responded by announcing that teams would be fined if their players continued to do so.

But the move to take a knee during the national anthem before kick-off - or stand with arms locked in silent protest - follows in a long tradition of sports stars standing up for human rights, despite pressure from fans and public figures telling athletes to "stick to sports".

When did this all start?

Taking a knee has a larger legacy within the Civil Rights Movement. A famous photograph captured Martin Luther King Jr and other civil rights marchers kneeling in prayer in Selma, Alabama in 1965.

The photo was taken after the arrests of dozens of demonstrators amid three nonviolent protest marches fighting for voting rights for black Americans, ultimately leading to the landmark passage of the Voting Rights Act.

On "Bloody Sunday" on 7 March 1965, as hundreds of marchers prepared to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were met by state troopers and deputised white residents, who brutally attacked dozens of marchers.

By 2016, America was reeling from the deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, among other black Americans killed by police.

Many of their deaths were captured on video and broadcast on social media, igniting a mass movement to condemn police violence.

NFL players weren't typically on the field for "The Star-Spangled Banner" until 2009. Between 2011 and 2014, the US Department of Defence gave the NFL millions of dollars to promote patriotic displays, including on-field flag ceremonies and tributes to veterans. Soon on-field anthem ceremonies became expected pregame rituals.

Kaepernick first protested at the start of the 2016 season on 26 August, but his quiet demonstrations were not immediately noticed. At that point, he simply sat on benches.

On 1 September, he transitioned to taking a knee in protest instead, following advice from Retired Army Green Beret Nate Boyer, who suggested kneeling during the ceremony would be more respectful towards veterans.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour," Kaepernick said in a press conference after first sitting out during the anthem. "To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Several other players joined Kaepernick's protest against criticism from football fans, and he had the support of then-president Barack Obama.

Commissioner Goodell, however, said he didn't "necessarily agree" with his method of protest.

Kaepernick played his final NFL game on 1 January 2017. Many players continued to kneel.

American sportspeople kneel in protest
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Mr Trump has frequently criticised kneeling during the anthem by framing Kaepernick's protest as disrespect for US troops without addressing the reasons for the protest in the first place.

In 2016, Kaepernick responded by saying: "He always says make America great again. Well, America has never been great for people of colour. That's something that needs to be addressed. Let's make America great for the first time."

Mr Trump became a catalyst for the protest in September when he said during a campaign rally in Alabama that he wished that NFL players would be fired for kneeling during the national anthem.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b**** off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired,'" Mr Trump said.

"You know, some owner is going to do that. He's going to say, 'That guy that disrespects our flag, he's fired.' And that owner, they don't know it [but] they'll be the most popular person in this country."

Nike made Kaepernick the face of a campaign ("Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything") in September 2018, prompting debate over his protests and boycotts against the company.

Who protested?

Some football teams chose not to come out onto the field at all after Mr Trump's comments, while other teams allowed their players to protest at their own discretion.

In addition to most, if not all, of the NFL teams seeing some players protesting the weekend after Mr Trump's remarks, baseball and basketball players also joined in.

Notably, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady called Mr Trump's comments "divisive" and locked arms with his teammates during his game following the president's remarks.

How did Black Lives Matter protests change the NFL?

Ahead of an uncertain season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and propelled by the urgency of nationwide protests, it's difficult to say.

In 2018, NFL owners unanimously approved a national anthem policy requiring players to stand if they are on the field during the performance of the song.

But its status is unclear, and it hasn't been enforced over the last two seasons.

Under the rule, players have the option to remain in the locker room during the anthem if they prefer. If a player or other employee of a team kneels or sits during the anthem, the teams themselves are fined. The teams then have the option to fine the individual players or personnel for the infraction.

The vote was unanimous, but the owner of the San Francisco 49ers - the team Kaepernick played for when he started the protest - abstained from the vote.

Kaepernick's kneeling protest also has a grim resonance following the death of Mr Floyd.

Widespread footage of now-former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin shows him digging his knee into the back of Mr Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as he struggled to breathe.

At protests around the world, demonstrators have kneeled to echo Kaepernick's protest. Many police officers and elected officials have joined them.

Black NFL players issued a viral message following Mr Floyd's death to demand NFL officials condemn systemic racism, admit that the league has "wrongfully silenced" peaceful protests among players, and say that "Black Lives Matter."

"We will not be silenced," players say in the message. "We assert our right to peacefully protest."

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, among several NFL players who disagreed with kneeling during the anthem as a sign of protest, faced a wave of backlash after he said he will "never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country."

Several other Saints players posted messages urging Brees to reconsider his statements.

He later apologised to his teammates and fans, saying: "I realise this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities."

His initial comments drew support from Mr Trump, who said Brees "should not have taken back his original stance on honouring our magnificent American Flag."

But in his statement aimed directly at the president, the quarterback said: "I completely missed the mark ... We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial [and] prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation's history! If not now, then when?

In a pair of tweets, the president said: "OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high ... We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag - NO KNEELING!"

But is it abnormal for sports stars to make their political opinions known during events?

No. There is a rich history of American sports stars highlighting injustice in their country.

American Olympians John Carlos and Tommie Smith made headlines across the world in 1968, months after the murder of Martin Luther King Jr, when they raised their gloved fists as a black power salute on the podium after winning in that year's summer games. Their iconic protest brought them death threats, and they were expelled from the games. Smith later said: "If I win, I am American, not a black American. But if I did something bad, then they would say I am a Negro. We are black and we are proud of being black. Black America will understand what we did tonight."

Muhammad Ali is perhaps one of the best known American athletes to take a major political stand. The boxing champion refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War - a refusal which involved jailtime. He did so on the basis of his faith, he said, but did note the cruel irony of asking black men to fight in Vietnam for a country that has treated them as subhuman.

NBA stars have also worn their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

What happened to Kaepernick?

Kaepernick is still not currently with any NFL team, though he held an open workout with the NFL in November 2019, stirring speculation that he was being groomed for a return to the league.

While he's been off the field, he has remained busy with charity work and as a prominent civil rights activist. In his NFL career, he made a $1 million pledge to charitable organisations.

He also co-founded Know Your Rights Camp, an organisation that holds free seminars to young people. His organisation also created a Covid-19 relief fund.

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All you need to know about why NFL players are taking a knee and where it came from

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National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell issued a 1 minute and 21 second apology on 5 June, following several years of debate within the NFL as well as among fans, Donald Trump and countless pundits who criticised Colin Kaepernick and other players' silent protests against police brutality.

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I think it's very intresting that this article is under entertainment even when the overarching topic is BLM

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President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to call for an NFL rule to stop players from kneeling during the national anthem.

There is a meme going around that gives the impression that the NFL already has such a rule in place.

But, according to some excellent research and reporting by the Indiana Star, that quote is not actually from the 2017 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League.

Instead, it's a part of the league's game operations manual, which is distributed to every NFL team. So, technically, "it's policy, it's not a rule," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Indiana Star.

"I think where people are getting confused is, rules, that's like holding or defensive pass interference, that's a rule. This is policy."

McCarthy told the Indiana Star that players who didn't take the field or protested during the anthem would not be penalized.

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart declined to comment on Trump's tweet during a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning.

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Trump calls for NFL rule to make players stand during the national anthem

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President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to call for an NFL rule to stop players from kneeling during the national anthem. There is a meme going around that gives the impression that the NFL already has such a rule in place.

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What is the the real reason for Colin kaepernck kneeling.

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Explore search interest for Colin Kaepernick, Black Lives Matter by time, location and popularity on Google Trends

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CLOSE

This isn't about patriotism. It's about Trump dog-whistling to his base that a bunch of black athletes need to be put in their place.

One of the many things President Trump doesn't appear to understand is that what separates our republic from North Korea is that our Constitution forbids forced displays of patriotism. No one can seriously be surprised that yet again, he's yelled "fire" to please a crowded theater full of his ill-informed, almost entirely white devotees. Trump's "presidency" has already failed spectacularly, and it is predictable that he's picking a fight with black professional athletes. He knows that as long as he plays to "white grievance," his supporters will ignore the fact he's accomplished nothing for them.

I served 22 years in the military, and I choose to stand and sing when the anthem is played because I love the fact I live in the country where doing so is my choice. Having attended a great deal of Sunday School growing up, we did a lot of kneeling - when we prayed, when we took communion - we did so out of respect. I fail to understand why kneeling is a sign of respect sufficient for God and yet so disrespectful during the playing of a song. I'd remind those serving and my fellow veterans that none of our fallen brothers and sisters took an oath to a piece of cloth sewn by Betsy Ross or a song written by Francis Scott Key. We swore absolute allegiance to the Constitution which bars forced displays of patriotism.

More: Why we stand for the flag: Gen. Dempsey

More: National anthem doesn't belong only to the military: Dan Carney

Before Trump poured gasoline on this fire in his rambling speech Friday night, there weren't that many players kneeling and certainly there were no teams staying in the locker room for the anthem. His supporters, and conservatives generally, should take a deep breath, stop acting hysterically on social media and look inward. This president creates crises when he feels insecure. He's about to go down to yet another humiliating defeat in his attempt to take a black man's name off a health care policy, and his ego needed a distraction. That is why he did this.

The irony of Trump being taken seriously about issues of "respect" for anything after the Access Hollywood tape shouldn't be lost on us - especially respect for the uniform, given that the president seems proud enough of dodging the draft to write about it in his books. This isn't about "respect." This is about dog-whistling to his base that a bunch of black athletes need to be put in their place.

These players are raising a very important issue. There are serious racial disparities in our criminal justice system so profoundly obvious that everyone from the Koch brothers to Bernie Sanders agrees that serious reforms are needed. I have criticized Colin Kaepernick on many occasions for behavior I consider childish - wearing anti-police socks comes to mind. I think he's done a poor job explaining what he's protesting and what sort of change he wants to bring about to address the problems that he correctly identifies. But I admire the integrity inherent in his willingness to risk everything to stand up to injustice.

I saw #MAGA Twitter light up Sunday night calling for a boycott of the NFL and, like most Americans, rolled my eyes. In recent years, conservatives have called for boycotts of network and cable TV, including the children's programs Barney and Friends and The Power Rangers as well as Disney theme parks out of fear that they would turn kids gay, they've boycotted Target over bathrooms and called for boycotts of Mexico multiple times. None of those boycotts accomplished anything and boycotting the NFL isn't going to result in the league or the owners teaching those uppity black players a lesson.

More: Montel Williams: Charlottesville terrorism exposes alt-right American Taliban
POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media
It's naive to think this is an issue of patriotism. We need to understand it's not. This is about fear, often times subconscious - fear of losing control when a group of very famous black people use their platforms together to try and make change. I don't think pursuing racial and social justice should cause people to be afraid, unless they are motivated by hate. This kneeling business is indisputably dripping in racism.

The truth of the matter is Trump is ill-equipped to do battle with Stephen Curry, LeBron James or the NFL athletes who protested Sunday. They are more popular than he ever will be. We can do better than this as a country. Together we can rise above "leaders" who would exploit the deep-seated bias and resentment of those who know no better to distract from their own lack of accomplishment.

Montel Williams, a 22-year Marine Corps and Navy veteran who served primarily as a special duty intelligence officer, went on to start the Emmy-award-winning Montel Williams Show that ran for 17 seasons. Follow him on Twitter @Montel_Williams

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2yoHF59

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Montel Williams to Trump: We're not North Korea. NFL players can choose to take a knee.

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CLOSE This isn't about patriotism. It's about Trump dog-whistling to his base that a bunch of black athletes need to be put in their place. One of the many things President Trump doesn't appear to understand is that what separates our republic from North Korea is that our Constitution forbids forced displays of patriotism.

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Black History Month celebrates big moments: changing the Constitution to end slavery, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the election of the first black president. But February's Black History Month also celebrates small moments that led to big changes, such as a black woman's refusal to give up her bus seat to a white person.

That woman was Rosa Parks, who was born 100 years ago today. Her action in Montgomery, Alabama, on Dec. 1, 1955, was intended to be a small protest.

"I had no idea that when I refused to give up my seat on that Montgomery bus that my small action would help put an end to segregation laws in the South," Parks wrote in her autobiography for kids, "Rosa Parks: My Story." "I only knew that I was tired of being pushed around."

She was arrested and found guilty of violating segregation laws, rules that required black and white people to attend separate schools, drink from separate water fountains and sit in separate areas on buses. Lawyers filed a court case challenging the fairness of segregating buses. The U.S. Supreme Court decided that it was against the Constitution, and black people in Montgomery were allowed to sit in any bus seat. That victory led to many other challenges to segregation laws in the United States.

Parks became a hero of those fighting for equality for blacks. She died in 2005, and three schools in the Washington area are named in her honor.

Ransom Melettole, a sixth-grader at Hyattsville's Rosa L. Parks Elementary, said he had heard the bus story several times but more recently began to understand the impact of Parks staying in her seat.

"I realized because she did that, it changed the way people thought about segregation," Ransom said. "I think she was very courageous to do something like that."

The school plans to broadcast some of Parks's words during today's morning announcements and to discuss her in classes.

Sixth-grader Natalie Gil-Davis said Parks's story is an important lesson about equality.

"It doesn't matter what color you are; we are all the same," Natalie said. "We should be treated the same."

Black History Month Books: These people changed history
- Christina Barron

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Rosa Parks's little protest led to big change

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Black History Month celebrates big moments: changing the Constitution to end slavery, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the election of the first black president. But February's Black History Month also celebrates small moments that led to big changes, such as a black woman's refusal to give up her bus seat to a white person.

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Should we take a knee?

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Matt Keil is an Iraq War Veteran.

He was shot by a sniper bullet on February 24, 2007.

"Now I'm paralyzed from the chest down," Keil said. "I can't stand up by myself."

He had a few thoughts he wanted to share on the NFL players kneeling.
"When I see football entertainers kneeling for the national anthem, it's like a gut punch.
Like a slap in the face to every service member and their families who have ever bore the sacrifice of freedom for the United States. I'm not against anyone's First Amendment right, not at all. I'm not against why the NFL football players are choosing to take a knee.
What I don't agree with is the venue or avenue at which they're choosing to protest. Since the NFL is a male-dominated sport, I'm going to strictly address the men who decided to kneel: Real men don't take a knee for what they believe in.
They stand up and fight for it.
I didn't take a knee in Iraq. A sniper bullet made me do that. Stand up for what you believe in. Taking a knee is weakness."

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Disabled veteran to NFL players: 'Real men don't take a knee for what they believe in'

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Matt Keil is an Iraq War Veteran. He was shot by a sniper bullet on February 24, 2007. "Now I'm paralyzed from the chest down," Keil said. "I can't stand up by myself." He had a few thoughts he wanted to share on the NFL players kneeling.

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Taking a knee in the name of #Blacklivesmatter

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Taking a knee in the name of #Blacklivesmatter

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Neither man said it directly, but Mr. Trump's remarks provide further evidence that he has no concern for the legitimate and deeply felt fears and grievances of minority Americans.

Implying that players give up their right to free speech when they put on a uniform may well strike a responsive chord among many in Mr. Trump's base, and among faithful acolytes like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said players should keep their mouths shut in the workplace.

Maybe there are even some callous enough to thrill to another of Mr. Trump's careless assertions, that the N.F.L. had become too concerned with protecting players from head injuries in the face of mounting evidence of long-term brain damage among retired players.

The New York Times had reported the day before Mr.Trump's speech that doctors had found that the brain of Aaron Hernandez, the 27-year-old former New England Patriot who committed suicide in April while imprisoned on a murder sentence, showed a level of a degenerative brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., usually seen in players in their 60s.

This was of no concern to Mr.Trump, who complained about referees penalizing teams for excessive violence. Demonstrating with his fists colliding, he referred to a "beautiful tackle" that earned a 15-yard penalty. "They're ruining the game," he said.

Sunday's revolt against Mr. Trump was not quite a victory for Mr. Kaepernick; no team has even offered him a backup position despite a striking level of mediocrity among even many starting quarterbacks. Still, it might well have been a huge victory for free speech and the cause of racial justice he has so bravely espoused.

Let the final word, for now, belong to a basketball player, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Upon hearing that Mr. Trump had disinvited Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors from the traditional White House ceremony honoring championship teams, Mr. James said on Twitter:

"U bum," adding, "Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!"

Correction: September 27, 2017

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Opinion | The Day the Real Patriots Took a Knee

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Neither man said it directly, but Mr. Trump's remarks provide further evidence that he has no concern for the legitimate and deeply felt fears and grievances of minority Americans.

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After President Trump attacked NFL athletes for taking a knee during the national anthem, a Chicago community activist began asking people to take part in the silent protest that was started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to draw attention to police brutality.

Celebrities should not be the only ones doing it, Aleta Clark said on her Instagram account.

On Monday, Clark, who has spent the past two days posting pictures of people kneeling on the streets and in living rooms, walked into a Chicago Police Department precinct. She asked two black officers on duty whether they're against racism and police brutality, and if they would take a knee with her, she wrote on Instagram. They agreed - a decision that was praised by many, but resulted in a reprimand by the department.

A picture that Clark posted on social media showed the two uniformed officers kneeling beside her as they held up their fists in the precinct's lobby.

That Moment when you walk into the police station and ask the Men of Color are they Against Police Brutality and Racism & they say Yes... then you ask them if they support Colin Kapernick... and they also say yes... then you ask them to Kneel.! ✊🏿👏🏿 #ColinKaepernick #WeSupportYou

A post shared by Aleta (@englewoodbarbie) on

"We are aware of the photo, and we will address it in the same way we have handled previous incidents in which officers have made political statements while in uniform, with a reprimand and a reminder of department policies," Anthony Guglielmi, spokesman for the police department, said in a statement.

Chicago police officers are not allowed to participate in partisan political activities and campaigns, according to the police department. Officers who violate the policy could be reprimanded, assigned extra work without compensation, suspended without pay for no more than 30 days, or charged before the Chicago Police Board.

The department is not naming the officers, a spokesman said.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that he supports the reprimand, while acknowledging that the officers were caught between the need to connect with the community and follow department rules on making political statements, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

[Fire chief 'embarrassed' for calling Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the n-word over anthem protest]

"There's a difference between an athlete wearing their uniform and a police officer who is paid by the public who's wearing theirs," Emanuel said.

Clark did not return a call from The Washington Post on Tuesday, but she told Fox 32 that she doesn't regret asking the officers to take a knee inside the South-side precinct.

"I think the Chicago Police Department should be ashamed of itself for reprimanding these police officers," she said. "These officers took a knee against racial injustice. They should be acknowledged and appreciated."

She also said that she knew a picture of black officers taking a knee while on the job would cause controversy. The photo she posted has since been liked more than 2,000 times on Instagram, and was splashed across the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday. Rapper Snoop Dogg has also weighed in.

"They feel the pain of the people too," he wrote when he shared the picture on his Instagram and Twitter accounts Tuesday. "All police aren't bad."

Clark, who started a group that helps Chicago's inner-city children and sells T-shirts with the group's name, Hugs No Slugs, said she was inspired by Kaepernick, who regularly knelt in silence during the national anthem to protest police brutality against African Americans.

[These NFL owners gave Trump millions. But when he attacked their sport, they hit back.]

"I think that it's imperative that African Americans know their rights," Clark told Fox 32. "I think that if you are going to stand for something, that it should get national attention because that's what our culture is missing. Something positive to stand for."

Clark began asking people to take a knee after Trump used profane language in deriding athletes who protest.

"Wouldn't you love to see these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say: 'Get that son of a b-- off the field right now, out. He's fired. He's fired!' " Trump told a crowd at a political rally in Huntsville, Ala., on Friday.

Trump doubled down on his attacks over the weekend, calling on team owners to fire or suspend players who protest, encouraging fans to boycott games, and claiming that NFL attendance and ratings are "WAY DOWN."

In an act of mass defiance, dozens of players and numerous team owners, coaches and executives either took a knee or linked arms when the national anthem was played before Sunday's games.

Last January, a Chicago police officer was also reprimanded after a red Make America Great Again hat was seen on the dashboard of his police cruiser.

In 2014, another officer was disciplined for playing the song "Sweet Home Alabama," a song some consider to be racially offensive, during a protest against police brutality.
READ MORE: 'I'm taking a knee for America': Stevie Wonder joins a movement Trump deplores The NFL couldn't keep Colin Kaepernick off the field Football is life in Texas. Then along came Trump vs. the NFL

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Two black Chicago police officers took a knee in a precinct lobby - and were reprimanded

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After President Trump attacked NFL athletes for taking a knee during the national anthem, a Chicago community activist began asking people to take part in the silent protest that was started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to draw attention to police brutality.

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Editor's Note: ThinkProgress updated and relaunched its protest tracking project in an interactive database you can find here, which includes more recent data. The original story below was last updated on November 3, 2016.
It's been over two months since Colin Kaepernick was first spotted sitting down as the Star Spangled Banner was sung at a preseason NFL game because he refused to "show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

In a relatively short period of time, his protest of police brutality and racial injustice in the United States has captivated the country and sparked a debate not only about the state of race relations in America, but about what exactly it means to be a patriot.

As black men have continued to be killed by police - most notably Terrence Crutcher in Tulsa and Keith Scott in Charlotte - Kaepernick's initial protest has mutated and spread.

Overall, at least 49 NFL players from 13 NFL teams have knelt, sat, or raised a fist during the national anthem on game day. Three teams have linked arms or held hands as a sign of unity amidst the racial discord.

The protests aren't just confined to the NFL, either.

Fourteen WNBA players from three teams protested in the playoffs. Star soccer player Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem during a NWSL game, and later when representing the U.S. national team. Gold medal swimmer Anthony Ervin raised a fist as the anthem played during a meet in Brazil. Eight NBA teams have joined arms in unity. Even national anthem singers are taking a knee.

Perhaps most significantly, protests during the anthem have occurred in at least 52 high schools, 43 colleges, one middle school, and two youth leagues in 35 states across the country and three nations abroad.

These protests have inspired far more than controversy - they've inspired conversations among people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. Thad Matta, the head coach of the Ohio State men's basketball team, even told reporters that he is going to encourage locker room conversations about the state of race relations in today's society this season. They've also inspired action -though NBA players aren't taking a knee (although some teams are locking arms in unity during the anthem, a mutation of the protest that is included in this round-up), many players and teams are taking concrete steps to improve things in their communities.

However, the peaceful protests have not come without a cost; kids as young as 11 have received death threats, and professional players have lost endorsements. One youth football team even had to cut its season short because of backlash. Still, nearly every day, more athletes of all ages take a knee during the national anthem at sporting events, and there's no indication they'll stop anytime soon.

ThinkProgress has been monitoring the spread of the movement closely. Below, you will find a timeline of the protests breaking out across the nation.
This piece will be updated regularly as new anthem protests in the sports world emerge. Please email lgibbs@thinkprogress.org if you are aware of any missing from the list.
August 26: Colin Kaepernick sits during the anthem before an NFL preseason game

San Francisco 49ers (NFL): San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Kaepernick remains seated during the national anthem at a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL.com. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

The 49ers and the NFL both expressed support for the quarterback's right to sit, but his actions sparked a stream of controversy across the league.

September 1: NFL players Eric Reid and Jeremy Lane join Kaepernick's protest

San Francisco 49ers (NFL): In the final preseason games of the year, Kaepernick's teammate Eric Reid joined him in his anthem protests. However, they decided to take a knee instead of merely remaining seated.

Reid told reporters this was a way to show that they still had respect for the anthem and military, while still bringing awareness to racial inequality and police brutality.

"We need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated."

Seattle Seahawks (NFL): Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane also showed his solidarity with Kaepernick by remaining seated during the anthem.

Lane has not sat since this game. Instead, he has joined a "show of solidarity" with the rest of his teammates during the anthem.

September 2: A high school football player in Ohio kneels during anthem, receives racist threats

Brunswick High School: Ohio's Rodney Axson didn't plan on becoming the first high school athlete to join Kaepernick's protests, but when he heard his teammates using the "N-word" to describe players on the other team, he changed his mind and took a knee during the anthem.

The Brunswick High senior has received racist threats ever since.

Axson says he was called the N-word by teammates multiple times both verbally that day and in subsequent text messages.

Later in the week, a Snapchat post surfaced with a photo of a hand-written piece of paper with four "N-Words" preceded by "F - k Rodney" and followed by "Lets Lynch Ni - ers."

Since Axson's initial protest, he hasn't had a chance to take a knee again, because the anthem has been played while his team is in the locker room on game day. Brunswick police are reportedly investigating the threats. On September 16, supporters from around Ohio came to Axson's game.

September 4: Soccer star Megan Rapinoe takes a knee before NWSL game

Seattle Reign (NWSL): In what she described as a "nod to Kaepernick," Seattle Reign star Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem before her game against the Chicago Red Stars.

"I am disgusted with the way [Kaepernick] has been treated and the fans and hatred he has received in all of this," Rapinoe said. "It is overtly racist. 'Stay in your place, black man.' Just didn't feel right to me. We need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated."

Her protest was thwarted at the September 7 NWSL game against the Washington Spirit, when Spirit owner Bill Lynch decided to play the anthem while the players were still in the locker room. Rapinoe did not kneel during the anthem before the September 11 Reign game.

September 6: A high-school soccer player takes a knee

Clark Montessori High School: Tom Gallagher, a white soccer player at Clark Montessori High School, takes a knee during the national anthem.

"Kaepernick is just protesting the overall inequality between races in our country," Gallagher told Cincinnati.com. "Black people, as a whole, on the socioeconomic scale, are lower than white people, and nothing is really being done about it. It can't just be people of color. It has to be people of power and privilege who help to make change. I have a responsibility."

" It has to be people of power and privilege who help to make change. I have a responsibility."

September 7: Three volleyball players at West Virginia University Tech kneel

West Virginia University Tech: Keyona Morrow, a volleyball player and the vice president of the Black Student Union at WVU Tech, knelt during the anthem along with two of her teammates.

"Everyone should be treated equally, no matter their color age, sex anything. Everyone needs to be on one page, everyone needs to be treated the same way," Morrow said.

September 8: Broncos' linebacker Brandon Marshall kneels on NFL opening night

Denver Broncos (NFL): In the nationally televised kickoff to the 2016 NFL regular season, Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall seized the spotlight and took a knee.

"I'm not against the police. I'm not against the military. I'm not against America. I'm against social injustice," Marshall told reporters. "This movement is something special."

Marshall has lost two sponsors since his action.

On September 14, he announced that he was partnering with several organizations in Denver and planned to donate $300 for every tackle he makes this season to those groups. Those donations can be tracked through the hashtag #TackleChange. He plans to keep taking a knee throughout the season.

On November 6, after eight weeks of protests, Marshall announced he would begin standing again. " I'm encouraged with the many productive discussions and progress that has taken place as the Denver Police department has decided to review its use of force policy," he wrote. " ust because I am standing doesn't mean the work will end. There's much work to be done."

On September 25, Marshall's teammate T.J. Ward joined in and took a knee.

"I took some weeks to think about doing it," Ward said, via the Denver Post. "I didn't want to jump in with everything going on around Kap and be part of a tumbleweed effect. But I dealt with it alone last night, all the way up until the moment I put my fist up."

September 9: High school football players across the country take a knee during the anthem, as does a FSU volleyball player

"I'm standing up for the injustice that happens to black people every day, not just cops killing black people."

"I'm standing up for the injustice that happens to black people every day, not just cops killing black people," Oppong said. "We are disrespected and mistreated everywhere we go on a daily basis because of our skin color and I am sick of it."

Lincoln Southeast High School: One black student and one white student at Nebraska's Lincoln Southeast High School  - Sterling Smith and Michael Baklykov - took a knee during the anthem, and plan to continue to kneel all season.

Smith explained his reasoning on Twitter:

I've learned that walking in the 'wrong neighborhood' past 10:00 o'clock wearing colored skin can get you questioned by the police because you clearly have ulterior motives. I've learned that blatant racism is only humor and that I need to 'not take it so seriously.' I've learned that going to a store will get you followed by employees because obviously your intentions are to steal. I've learned that ghetto is the new synonym for black. I've learned that addressing civil injustices placed on minority groups makes you another bitter black man who can't put the history books down.

Waggener High School: Tre Chappell, a junior running back at Waggener High in Louisville, Kentucky, was the only member of his team to kneel during the anthem on September 9.

After the game, his coach said they were looking for an "alternate gesture," so on September 16, the whole team stood during the anthem but t ook a knee and a delay of game penalty after the first play of the game.

Auburn High School: At least six s tudents from Auburn High School in Rockford, Illinois took a knee during the anthem.

Their protest has sparked a lot of conversation in the community. Jennifer Webster, the principal Damascus High School - the school Watkins Mill faced on the road on September 16- told local media that the protest has been a huge topic both on social media and inside the classroom.

"The Watkins Mill players' silent protest Friday night has started a bigger conversation that must continue so that we can deepen our understanding of one another," Webster wrote in an open letter in late September.

In early October, one of the captains of the Watkins Mill football team attended a Youth Town Hall to explain why the team was protesting.

"We face challenges that not everyone goes through on a daily basis," Brian McNeary said. "We get followed around stores and profiled while we're just walking down the street or around the corner from our school."

"I've learned that addressing civil injustices placed on minority groups makes you another bitter black man who can't put the history books down."

West Seattle High School: Players on the West Seattle High Wildcats football team take a knee.

Minneapolis North High School: Seven football players at Minneapolis North High School take a knee.

North teacher Marjaan Sirdar, who instructs at least half the team and teaches black culture, said that many of the students had just recently found out about the third verse of the national anthem, which references the death of slaves. That helped

"Society has taught [people of color] that they're not equal," Sirdar said, as reported by the Minnesota StarTribune. "The expectation is for us to celebrate a song that celebrates our murder, which is just foul."

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/774592111983353856

Florida State University: Women's volleyball player Mara Green took a knee during the anthem before her game.

"I am unhappy with the racial tension, racial injustice and police brutality in our country," Green said. "This is my way of silently and peacefully protesting."

She has continued the protest at subsequent games.

September 10: The anthem protests continue in high schools, and spread to a youth football team, two college football teams, and even Alaska

Tulsa University: Keanu Hill, a cornerback at the University of Tulsa, takes a knee during the anthem before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The school released a statement saying they supported his decision, but that "the actions of one do not speak for an entire group and - in this instance - not for The University of Tulsa Athletics."

Beaumont Bulls: The Bulls' season was cut short after every player and almost every coach on the Bulls, an 11- and 12- year-old team prep football team, took a knee during the anthem. As news spread about their protest, the kids received death threats, and the youth league removed the head coach for actions that created "a hostile mood."

When youth league threatened to suspend their season, some of the kids continued to kneel the following week. April Parkerson, mother of one of the boys on the team, says her son would likely keep kneeling for the rest of the season.

"We've been noticed, we've been seen," Parkerson said. "Now we want to take it a step further and help bridge the gap here in the community to make a positive change. We can't just leave it where it is."

But the boys didn't get an opportunity. On October 18, the season ended early, according to the Beaumont Enterprise:

Bulls president Seterria Anderson, whose son is on the team, said the team disbanded because several players quit, leaving the Bulls without enough players. April Parkerson, another parent, said the board canceled the rest of the season over the protest.

...Since Barber was removed, some of the team's players have not attended practices or games, according to Parkerson. "We are not practicing anymore, nor did we quit," Parkerson said. She said the players would likely return if Barber was reinstated as coach. She said that about 14 players were part of that protest.

Local news reports include conflicting accounts of the incident's fallout, but after the story went viral, Snopes compiled a rundown of what happened.

West Anchorage High School: Six players in Alaska took a knee during the anthem on a Saturday afternoon game. The principal refused to let them talk to the media afterwards.

San Francisco Mission High School: Players from all races took a knee before their game, much to the surprise of their coach. Via the San Francisco Chronicle:

Every player on the roster - black, white, Latino, Asian - was on one knee, an echo of the hotly debated move by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to protest racial inequality and police brutality. In that moment, Hill said, he saw a team that had decided to experience "this historical moment" as a unit.

The coach, who is black, also had a more immediate dilemma: What am I going to do?

"I decided I'd stand for them," he said. "I'm gonna stand for my team."

The protest was let by Niamey Harris, a 17-year-old team captain and starting quarterback, who asked his teammates to join him on one knee before the game.

"This is for helping everybody else in the world to understand that black people and people of color are going though difficulties and they need help. It's not going to take care of itself," Harris told his teammates.

Woodrow Wilson High School: Woodrow Wilson High School football coach Preston Brown decided to kneel for the national anthem before his team's home opener. His entire team decided to join him.

"All my life I felt like I stood up for the national anthem as a formality," said Brown after the Tigers' 13-7 loss. "It never meant that much to me. I still love America. I have nothing against it, and I still love our military and all that they do but it was never a song that moved me. I always just closed my eyes and did it.

"All my life I felt like I stood up for the national anthem as a formality."

"(Because) of recent events that happened the last couple years, things I experienced in college being an African American student athlete in the south (at Tulane), I felt it was an appropriate time to do that."

In a moving column on Philly.com, Brown wrote that he and his players are hurting because of the constant racial profiling they face. He also noted that the comments on articles about the protests just serve to reinforce why the protest is so important.

If anyone doubted why we felt the need to call attention to the injustices we face, they only need to read the comments on the articles about our actions. From readers all around the country, we were sent images of the Confederate flag. We were repeatedly told to leave the country. "Disgusting behavior obviously by an ignorant coach," was among the nicer responses.

Brown said that the team might not kneel during every anthem, but that he and his players will focuso on implementing change, including "community service projects, the dialogue with police officials, the classroom conversation."

September 11: On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, 14 more NFL players and one WNBA player join in the protests by taking a knee, locking arms, or raising fists

Miami Dolphins (NFL): Four Dolphins - Arian Foster, Michael Thomas, Kenny Stills, and Jelani Jenkins - take a knee during the anthem before their game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Washington.

Foster, Thomas, and Stills all continued to kneel the following week, while Jenkins decided to stand for the rest of the season.

"Racial, social and economic inequality is very real in this country, and it is time for real change with real results," Jenkins explained in a powerful essay for TIME Magazine. "In order to help stimulate meaningful change, sometimes it takes a controversial - but meaningful - stand."

Seattle Seahawks (NFL): The Seahawks locked arms as way to express unity.

"In this country we've gone through so much. The African American community, we've gone through a lot," Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said. "Not every police officer is a bad police officer. Not every African American is a bad person."

Their actions received criticism from some supporters of the anthem protests, including The Nation 's Dave Zirin, who said the action "ignores community organizations on the ground and treats police violence like it's a communication problem."

The team plans to continue to link arms throughout the season.

"Racial, social and economic inequality is very real in this country, and it is time for real change with real results."

New England Patriots (NFL): Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett and defensive back Devin McCourty raised their fists after the national anthem before their game in Glendale, Arizona. They did not continue the action in week 2.

Kansas City Chiefs (NFL): Marcus Peters linked arms with the rest of his team during the anthem, but raised his fist afterwards.

The following Sunday, he did not join his team on the sideline during the anthem. Instead, he hung back by the water coolers and drank water.

Tennessee Titans (NFL): Titans defensive end Jurrell Casey, linebacker Wesley Woodyard, and cornerback Jason McCourty raised their fists during the anthem. In later games, they were joined by two other teammates.

Phoenix Mercury (WNBA): Mercury center Kelsey Bone took a knee during the singing of the national anthem before the team's home game against the Atlanta Dream. According to Arizona Central, she will continue kneeling in the WNBA playoffs.

"We're not going to fix this tomorrow. We're not going to fix this today," Bone said. "We might not be the ones who benefit from this. But maybe our kids will, maybe our grandkids will."

September 12: On Monday Night Football, Kaepernick and Reid kneel, while two Los Angeles Rams raise fists

St. Louis Rams (NFL): Robert Quinn and Kenny Britt both raised their fists during the national anthem. Their opponents in the game were the 49ers, meaning Kaepernick and Reid were kneeling across the field.

Quinn continued his protest the following week, while Britt did not. By week 4, according to ESPN, defensive end William Hayes joined Quinn in raising his fist.

September 15: Entire girls' volleyball team in Minneapolis takes a knee; Rapinoe goes national

Minneapolis South High School: Every girl on the volleyball team took a knee during the anthem.

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/776744450236317696

U.S. Women's National Soccer Team: Rapinoe took her protest up a notch when she knelt during the national anthem in the USWNT friendly match against Thailand. U.S. Soccer was not thrilled with her decision, and her teammate Carli Lloyd called her protest a " distraction."

However, Rapinoe knelt once again in the friendly against the Netherlands on September 18, and U.S. Soccer decided not to punish her.

September 16: Entire high school team in Seattle takes a knee

Garfield High School: The Garfield High School Bulldogs players and coaching staff took a knee and put their hands on one another's shoulders before a game against West Seattle High.

"Everybody wants to talk about how this is disrespectful to the American flag," Garfield coach Joey Thomas said, via the Seattle Times. "That's a smokescreen. How about we talk about the issues people are kneeling and fighting for? If we could start addressing the issues and finding solutions to the issues, we won't have to kneel."

Edina High School: Several black players in Edina, Minnesota take a knee before their Homecoming game. The athletes reportedly approached administrators beforehand, saying "they felt very strongly" about joining in the protest.

Laguna Creek High School: In Sacramento, California, 12 football players took a knee during the anthem.

"As much as people are upset about me taking a knee, I'm just as upset about racial injustices across the country."

Palm Beach Lakes High School: Three football players took a knee during the national anthem.

"Take a knee, people riot," running back Jalen Wright told local reporters. "Take a bullet, people quiet."

Jefferson County High School: In Georgia, a Jefferson County Warrior football player briefly kneels during the anthem.

September 17: Cheerleaders join in

"The backlash African-Americans are receiving right now is the exact reason for the protest," Johnson said, referring to the hate he had received since his photo of the cheerleaders went viral on Twitter. "It justifies the reason to do it in the first place."

https://twitter.com/ZachJ2019/status/777229186838716417

University of Pennsylvania: Two Penn cheerleaders also joined the protests. Junior Alexus Bazen took a knee, while junior Deena Char raised her fist.

"I believe that the climate of the world right now is very hostile," Bazen said, as reported by The Daily Pennsylvanian. "All over the news there has been brutality and violence against people of color and I truly believe in ... fighting for equality and standing up for what I believe in."

Pima Community College: Two football players on the football team knelt during the anthem before their game against Scottsdale Community College.

Illinois Weslyan University: Quincy Butler and Jamal Jackson both took a knee before IWU's game against North Central.

"I'm just doing one little thing I can do," Jackson said, as reported by Central Illinois Proud. "As much as people are upset about me taking a knee, I'm just as upset about racial injustices across the country,"

"If we could start addressing the issues and finding solutions to the issues, we won't have to kneel."

"I just felt like there needed to be some change because here you still see problems," Marquis Hubanks, a sophomore halfback and linebacker, told the Journal Sentinel. "You move around the world and you see there isn't that much equality. We don't get treated the same as everyone else. I just don't think its right."

Texas Christian University: About 20 students wore black and stayed seated for the homecoming game against Iowa State. According to TCU360, some held signs with slogans like "Unapologetic and black," and "Oppression is wrong." Others referenced Bible verses.

"We can't support a nation and a flag and an anthem that doesn't support us," Shanel Alexander, a senior and protest organizer said. The students are continuing to protest home games and have met the university chancellor with a list of demands.

September 19: Four Philadelphia Eagles raise their fists on Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles (NFL): Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins, Ron Brooks, Marcus Smith, and Steven Means raised their fists during the anthem before their Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears.

"It had nothing to do with necessarily disrespecting the flag or not representing the country," Jenkins said. "The issue is about the treatment of African Americans and minorities in this country, when you talk about social injustice."

Jenkins had told reporters earlier in the week that the team was planning something, stating they had chosen not to protest on September 11. According to Pro Football Talk, a full-team action was discussed, but ultimately they decided against it:

"There were some other suggestions about doing some things as a full team," Jenkins said. "But sometimes when you look at it and you want to create an impact, holding hands or locking arms doesn't address the actual issue. Although it looks great because you're all together, the honest truth about it, some guys on the team actually don't care about the issues, which is fine. We wanted to make sure that whatever we did, if we were going to step out and stand up for something, that it was impactful and actually stuck to the message."

September 20: Middle school football coach kneels with players behind the bleachers; youth band kneels while playing anthem at MLB game

Griffin Middle School: Griffin Middle School football coach Brett Stanley and a few of his players took a knee behind the bleachers while the Star Spangled Banner played before a Tuesday night football game.

After his protest the previous week, Griffin principal Gwendolyn Thomas had threatened to cancel the game if he continued the protest.

"At this point, I don't want to take away from the kids," Stanley said, via the Tallahassee Democrat. "But I don't want to give up my rights, you know.

Oakland Unified School District: Most of the 155 students playing in the OUSD honor band took a knee towards the end of national anthem at the Oakland A's game "in protest against police brutality and unfair treatment of people of color in America."

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"I wanted us to kneel because as a country we need to have a conversation about what is going on here," 14-year-old Mikayla told Red Flag. "We have been turning our backs on murder and racism, and I was tired of not doing anything about it.

"A lot of people think that because we are kids, we aren't paying attention to what's happening in the news, but we notice a lot, and see who got shot."

September 21: Entire Indiana Fever team kneels during anthem before the kick-off to the WNBA playoffs; a white veteran shows solidarity

Indiana Fever (WNBA): In a momentous action, the entire Indiana Fever team linked arms and took a knee while the anthem was played before their sudden-death playoff game against the Phoenix Mercury.

According to Tameka Catchings, who was playing in the final game of her legendary basketball career, the players did not tell their coach, Stephanie White, what they were doing beforehand. But she was not angry in the least.

"When we got into the huddle," Catchings said, "(White) looked at each one of us and said she was proud of us."

After the game, White explained why she was so please with her team's decision, as reported by Gregg Doyle of the Indianapolis Star.

"Something like this creates conversation, and that's how we create change," she said. "We don't create change by seeing it on the news and waiting until next time. People who have the platforms have the ability to affect change, and I'm proud of our group for using the platform in a respectful manner."

Phoenix Mercury (WNBA): The Fever were inspired to take a knee by the Mercury's Kelsey Bone, who had been taking a knee during the anthem for the past few games.

Bone continued to kneel in the playoff game, and this time was joined by her teammate, Mistie Bass.

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School: Brebeuf Jesuit goalkeeper Lauren Turner took a knee by herself during the anthem before the soccer team played on Wednesday night in Indianapolis.

"The reason behind (kneeling) was the shooting in Oklahoma that happened two days ago," Turner said, referring to the murder of Terrence Crutcher. "I've always just been interested in how blacks have been treated throughout history and I think it's just important for everybody to realize what's actually going on."

"Our young people are hurting, and we must listen and hear their pain."

DeSoto High School: Several members of the DeSoto High School girls' volleyball team in Texas took a knee during the national anthem. According to NBC5, players told reporters "the next black man shot could be their dad, brother or boyfriend."

DeSoto school board president Carl Sherman released a statement supporting their action:

Our students are witnessing the erosion of the 14th amendment right before their eyes. A lesson in liberty and justice, once reserved for textbooks, is now on full display in streets across our Nation. One can only imagine the fear in their hearts watching these events unfold. Our young people are hurting, and we must listen and hear their pain. As an institution of learning, we are charged with preparing our students to become problems solvers and productive citizens; not to stifle their innovation or rejection of complacency. None of us have the right to infringe on the rights extended to our young people as American citizens.

The volleyball players received a lot of criticism. Al Woolum, a white navy veteran, saw how the media and fans were treating the players, so he showed up at their next game in a "Black Lives Matter" t-shirt and took a knee during the anthem.

"The decision they made to kneel at their last game, they caught a lot of flak for that. I saw that on the news," he reportedly said. "I looked when their next game was, and I came to support them to let them know somebody in the white community cares."

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/780181632233959424

At the football game later that week, a few DeSoto cheerleaders took a knee as well.

September 22: Houston Texan Duane Brown raises a fist on Thursday Night football; a referee takes a knee

Houston Texans: As protests erupted in Charlotte, North Carolina over the police killing of Keith Scott, Houston Texan Duane Brown raised his fist on the sidelines during the national anthem.

Wilmington, North Carolina: Jeff Hibbert, a football official for North Carolina high schools, has taken a knee at the last two games he has refereed in order to generate conversation about the state of race relations and police brutality in his local community.

As reported by WECT in Wilmington:

For Hibbert, it's a topic that hits close to home. Just last year when coming home from a football game, he was pulled over and feared for his own life.

"When he pulled me, he had his pistol and said put your hands where I can see them," Hibbert explained. "When I tell you I was truly frightened, I was frightened."

Hibbert hopes that actions taken by athletes and himself can cause change and save lives.

"I must say I have a pretty good son and I worry about that. And I have to teach him what to do. And I hope it's enough to save his life," Hibbert said.

September 23: Protest spreads in WNBA playoffs; Louisiana sheriffs threaten boycott of high school football game if protests continue; racist threats

New York Liberty (WNBA): Liberty guard Brittany Boyd arrived to the WNBA playoff game against the Mercury wearing a Kaepernick jersey, and she remained in her seat during the anthem.

"The message that [Kaepernick's] delivering, I'm 100 percent behind him, and I agree with everything that he's trying to change in the world," Boyd said, as reported by the New York Times. "For me, it was just showing what I represent and the respect I have for him and what he's doing. As an African-American male in America today, what he's doing is hard to do."

The rest of the Liberty players linked arms during the anthem, as did the Mercury. Mercury players Bass and Bone continued to kneel just as they had two days prior.

Withrow High School: Almost all the players on the predominately black Withrow football team in Cincinnati, Ohio took a knee or raised a fist during the national anthem.

West Charlotte High School: Amid the protests in Charlotte, players on the West Charlotte football team took a knee during the anthem and the team's cheerleaders wore black shirts with a symbolic closed fist emblem on them.

"We just wanted to show that black lives do matter."

Aurora Central High School: About half of the Aurora Central football team knelt during the anthem at the team's homecoming night. Some coaches and parents joined in. While many fans in the stands were not happy, the school district is using the protest as a way to have important conversations about race relations.

""You can't continue to slap people in the face and not expect them to stand up," junior tight end Vicqari Horton told the New York Times in October. "When Kaepernick kneeled, he gave us an outlet. He gave us something to do."

"Aurora Public Schools staff members respect the right of our students to protest in a peaceful manner," the district said in a statement. "We are using this opportunity as a teachable moment and a catalyst for meaningful dialogue."

Grovetown High School: At least three Grovetown players - black and white - took a knee during the anthem, while at least two others turned their back while it was played.

"We talked about it in the locker room," Grovetown junior linebacker Shamar Cofield said, as reported by The Augusta Chronicle. "We just wanted to show that black lives do matter."

Lakewood High School: At least five football players from Lakewood raise a fist during the national anthem.

Bonnabel High School: A few football players and cheerleaders at Bonnabel High took a knee during anthem as a nod to Kaepernick, and as a result, several members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office have refused to work voluntary security shifts at future Bonnabel games.

According to the New Orleans Advocate, security at games is not expected to be an issue.

Oberlin College: The entire field hockey team took a knee before a homecoming match against Ohio Wesleyan University.

"[We want] to express to fellow students, community members and people everywhere that we will not accept racial violence and police brutality as a part of our country," senior captain Maureen Coffey told the Oberlin Review.

Macalester College: Pia Mingkwan, a member of the Minnesota school's women's soccer team, began taking a knee during the anthem before a home game against nearby Hamline University.

On November 4, Macalester wide receiver published an op-ed about why he began kneeling during the anthem.

September 24: Nine colleges join in and some players get death threats; Bates College players kneel; Kaepernick visits an Oakland high school football team that takes the protest to the next level

University of Nebraska: Three Nebraska football players - linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey, defensive end DaiShon Neal, and linebacker Mohamed Barry - took a knee during the national anthem before their game at Northwestern.

Rose-Ivey said that after his actions, he and his teammates received messages on social media calling them the n-word, even saying they "hung before the anthem."

The also received harsh criticism from Gov. Pete Ricketts, who called the act "disgraceful" and "disrespectful." University regents chimed in too.

"It wasn't their forum to take advantage of and use as a Colin Kaepernick cloning situation," regent Hal Daub said. "Everyone will say the First Amendment gives them the right, but they shouldn't be able to take advantage of the captive market of the football team and the university's reputation."

However, many from the community offered support to the players - including their head coach, Mike Riley.

In the weeks since, about 150 emails sent to top school officials have revealed the administration and Nebraska fans' division over the protests.

University of Michigan: Several Michigan players raised their first during the national anthem.

"[Kaepernick] has given so many people a voice and courage to stand up for what we believe is right, just like the people who came before us and sacrificed so much for our freedom and for us to have a voice today," linebacker Mike McCray wrote on Twitter.

In October, 14 Wolverines raised their fists during the pregame anthem -  in front of coach Jim Harbaugh, who previously criticized Kaepernick's protests.

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Michigan State University: Three Spartans - defensive end Gabe Sherrod, fullback Delton Williams, and safety Kenney Lyke - raised their right fists during the anthem before the football game at Spartan Stadium.

Their head coach Mark Dantonio supported their decision.

Time to represent this movement publicly!! Our lives matter too and even us privileged college students fear for our lives around the police

- Gabe Sherrod (@ges88_) September 20, 2016

The following week, nine players raised their fists.

University of North Carolina: Before the UNC-Pittsburgh football game, a group of about 100 students of all different races remained seated and raised their fists during the national anthem. On the field, a few members of the marching band took a knee while playing the anthem as well.

"We're trying to get the awareness that the police are getting out of hand."

Southern Methodist University: Five members of SMU's band, along with a few students in the stands, took a knee during the anthem before the school's football game against Texas Christian University.

"I feel like coming from an African American background - I grew up in Detroit, Michigan, which is a predominantly black city - that I get tired of seeing my black brothers and sisters dying from injustices and unjustified reasons," Coda Boyce, one of the protesters, told Sports Day.

Dickson State University: In North Dakota, Five Dickson State players linked arms during the anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial injustice without offending anyone.

"Right now, at this point in time in the world, it's difficult for colored people, and I'm not going to say blacks because it's more than blacks. It's browns, it's reds. It's police brutality," running back Tray Boone said.

"We're trying to get the awareness that the police are getting out of hand. I'm not going to go completely against the police, because the police are people, too. Especially with what's going on in Charlotte, they're scared for their lives also."

Eastern Michigan University: After a tense week on campus due to the racist graffiti found on campus, rumors spread that an anthem protest was in the works for the football game. But because of a worry for the "s afety of security of everyone involved," the anthem was played before the football team and band even got onto the field.

However, students merely protested after the game instead.

Concordia University-St. Paul: A few players from the Concordia football team took a knee on the sidelines during the anthem.

Millikin University: Several football players at this Illinois-based Christian school took a knee during the National Anthem at a football game, causing controversy on campus. On October 7, the team changed direction in a statement:

After listening to those who both agree and disagree with our stance, we have chosen to forge a new path.

...Therefore, rather than have our message be misunderstood or misconstrued, we are united in our decision to stay in the locker room until kickoff during which time we will engage in a moment of reflection to personally recognize the sacrifice of so many and renew our commitment to living up to those most important words: "with liberty and justice for all."

May God Bless America.

The Millikin University Football Team

The entire football team stayed in their locker room as the anthem played on their Oct. 15 game -  except one lone student, Connor Brewer, who told media he would not yet comment publicly.

Amherst College: Thirteen players on the Amherst College football team took a knee or raised a fist during the national anthem before a game against Hamilton College.

"There's times when I really don't feel loved by this country," running back Raheem Jackson told the Daily Hampshire Gazette. "I just felt compelled as a man, I can't speak for anyone else, but as an adult I felt compelled to take a knee."

"I have a problem with the national anthem," wide receiver A.J. Poplin, who like Jackson is a senior, added. "The last words are the land of the free and the home of the brave. And if I'm not feeling free, I'm going to have the bravery to stand up for what I truly believe in."

"There's times when I really don't feel loved by this country."

Three members of the Amherst men's soccer team took a knee during the anthem a few weeks later, including senior Douglass Jamison.

"I did it for solidarity with the black community," Jamison said, "once again reinvigorating the conversation about police brutality in this country and just how African-Americans are treated."

Nottingham High School: Six players on the Nottingham High football team take a knee during the anthem. Meanwhile, a player on the opposing team, Proctor High School, went and grabbed the American flag from the color guard and ran it around the field.

Madison East High School: More than two dozen football players from Madison East took a knee in the middle of the field as the anthem played before their game, while a few of their opponents from Madison West High School took a knee on the sidelines as well.

Barringer High School: At least seven football players and two assistant coaches took a knee during the anthem before the game in Irvington, New Jersey.

"We see how the cops are treating people and I don't stand for that, and I don't think the national anthem should stand for that," senior Isaiah Gordon told NJ.com. "Until that changes, I'm not going to stand up. I'm going to keep kneeling."

Tamalpais High School: Six players on the Tamalpais High School football team took a knee before their game, inspired by the recent police killings of Terrence Crutcher and Keith Scott.

Tre'Chaun Berkley, one of the protesters, told the Marin Independent Journal that he is taking a knee because he knows the "everything that's going on could happen to me."

Berkely said he has been profiled by police before:

The first came as he exited the bus coming home from practice. He was quickly surrounded by a few patrol cars, and officers asked to search his football bag, saying he fit the description of a suspect they sought, Berkley said. One officer drew his gun as others surrounded Berkley, he said, then put the weapon down upon discovering Berkley was clean.

Later that season, he and a friend were walking outside when two white officers stopped the pair and put them in handcuffs for walking in the street, rather than on the sidewalk, Berkley said.

Penns Grove High School: About half of the New Jersey high school football team took a knee during the anthem.

Castlemont High School: Colin Kaepernick gave a pre-game speech to the players at Castlemont High in Oakland, California, and the players responded by lying on the sidelines with their hands in the air during the national anthem- a protest called a "die-in."

"You are important. You make a difference. This matters," Kaepernick, who took a knee beside the players, told the team before the game. "Everything you do matters.

"That's what this is about. I had to come support y'all, because the same y'all took a stand and stood with me, I had to come out here and stand with y'all. So I appreciate what y'all did. I love y'all, y'all my brothers. I'm here with you."

College of the Holy Cross: About 130 administrators, students and community members staged a sit-in during the anthem at the homecoming football game. Their aim, a school administrator said, was to "demonstrate solidarity and express their own concerns about issues of inequality and injustice."

Kealakehe High School: Mason Kaawa-Loa, a senior at Kealakehe High in Kailau-Kona, Hawaii was inspired by Kaepernick to take a knee before football games to protest the injustices Native Hawaiian people experience in the United States.

Macalester College: Four football players at the Minnesota liberal arts school took a knee during the national anthem before their game against Grinnell College. The next game, two more teammates joined their protest.

Football player Chance Carnahan said he always supported Kaepernick's protest, but wasn't sure how others would view the protest. After speaking with his teammates, he decided to kneel as well.

"I completely disagree [that it's disrespectful to kneel]," he told The Mac Weekly. "As football players we take a knee a lot. After practice everyday we take a knee when we talk to our coach; we're showing respect towards him. When we take a knee during the national anthem, we're showing that we still have respect for our country, respect for our flag, respect for our military, but at the same time we recognize that there are a lot of issues that we're overlooking... and I'm trying to bring attention to that."

Bates College: Football player Mickoy Nichol decided to begin taking a knee before Bates' game against Trinity College.

"I initially wasn't going to do it, but then I saw a picture on the internet of three Eagles players standing with their fists raised... and across the picture was 'get these n*****s off the TV,'" Nichol told The Bates Student. "I was like whoa, this is really a problem."

He approached his coaching staff, who gave him their full support,as well as his teammates. Three other players decided to join him.

"A lot of my white friends who don't play a sport came to the game and they see me taking a knee, and they're asking me why I'm doing it," he said. "And that's exactly what I wanted to bring from this, to create conversations."

September 25: The number of NFL players involved in anthem protests surpasses 40; gold medal Team USA swimmer Anthony Ervin raises a fist in Brazil

Indianapolis Colts (NFL): Cornerback Antonio Cromartie becomes the first Colt to join in the protests when he takes a knee during the anthem.

"Everyone wants to say all lives matter, but until black lives start to matter, all lives don't matter," he told the Indianapolis Star. "That's what people need to start looking at. When you take a knee, you're talking about everything that goes on in this country."

In late October, Cromatrie's wife wrote on Instagram that he was cut from the team because of his protest.

Washington R**skins (NFL): Four Washington players - DeSean Jackson, Greg Toler, Niles Paul, and Rashad Ross - raised their fists during the national anthem.

"We just want to make a stand, and I think putting our fists up to support our culture is something important. We feel like something dramatic needs to happen in this society, in our country now with all the things going on, the conversation," Jackson said after the game to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

On October 2, wide receiver DeSean Jackson risked NFL fines by wearing a pair custom cleats with a yellow caution tape design while warming up for a game against the Browns. "I've seen enough yellow caution tape and it's time for a stand and a change in our community and society," Jackson told TMZ. NFL rules prohibit players from wearing shoes that are not black or white with a team color.

"I've seen enough yellow caution tape and it's time for a stand and a change in our community and society."

"Today is the start of my attempts to be part of a solution and start dialogue about the senseless killings of both citizens and police," Jackson said in a statement. "...I just want to express my concern in a peaceful and productive way about issues that are currently impacting this country."

Jackson didn't wear the shoes during the game, but did wear them for the national anthem.

Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL): Four Jaguars - Dante Fowler Jr., Jared Odrick, Telvin Smith, and Hayes Pullard - raised their right fists during the anthem. Wide receiver Allen Robinson didn't participate in the anthem protest, but he did strike a " hands up, don't shoot " pose after he scored a touchdown.

Oakland Raiders (NFL): Raiders Bruce Irvin and Malcolm Smith raised their fists in the air during the anthem before their game against the Titans.

"I've talked about it, I've thought about it, but I wasn't going to do it until I saw a little girl in the stands try to put her fist up and her mom slapped her hand down," Smith said after the game, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. "I just felt like you've got a voice, you should be able to use it no matter the circumstances. You've got a point of view, you should be able to use it.

" I wasn't going to do it until I saw a little girl in the stands try to put her fist up and her mom slapped her hand down."

Carolina Panthers (NFL): Panthers safety Marcus Ball raised his right fist during the anthem, as riot police gathered outside the stadium to protect the game from the ongoing protests in Charlotte.

His fellow safety Tre Boston told reporters that the team is still trying to decide a way to protest as a full team going forward.

"We're going to find a way so that nobody can twist what we are trying to do, nobody can misinterpret the direction we want to go with our protest," Boston said. "We want to find a way that everybody is included, so nobody can say, 'You left out this person.' We want to make sure it's unity. We need it here in Charlotte."

San Diego Chargers (NFL): Five Chargers - Joe Barksdale, Chris Hairston, Joshua Perry, King Dunlap, and D.J. Fluker - raised fists during the national anthem. By week 4 of the protests, according to ESPN, tackle Tyreek Burwell joined them and Dunlap stopped.

San Francisco 49ers (NFL): In the past few weeks, more of Kaepernick's teammates have joined in the protests. Eli Harold joined Kaepernick and Reid on one knee, and five players - Antoine Bethea, Rashard Robinson, Jaquiski Tartt, Keith Reaser and Mike Davis - raised their fists during the anthem.

Anthony Ervin (USA Swimming): In August, Ervin won an Olympic gold medal in swimming. A month later, he returned to Brazil for another swim meet and not only won, but made a significant social statement along the way when he raised his fist during the national anthem.

What's so deep about this? Anthony said to me weeks ago, he loved Kap but wouldn't protest anthem, but after recent events, was moved to act

- Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) September 29, 2016

September 26: Falcons and Saints form a circle together midfield after the anthem

Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints: Neither team had any protesters during the anthem itself, but right after it finished, the two division rivals held hands and joined midfield to create a circle. ESPN reports it was the idea of Saints head coach Sean Payton.

Saints running back Mark Ingram said that it was very important to raise the issue of racial inequality while also acting in unison.

"We want it to be all, everybody, because that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to bring everybody together. Our nation needs to come together. Everybody needs to care for each other," Ingram said. "And that's what's so good about sports. It brings everybody together, no matter what race. These are my brothers in here. Guys I played with in the past, those are my brothers. You don't see color. You just see a guy who you work hard with and go to battle with and work with every single day.

"I understand that there's differences when you go out to the real world, so we just want to set an example, and we want to bring unity. We want everybody to be together and don't want to do anything that causes division or controversy."

September 27: All 18 players on Rochester high school soccer team kneel

World of Inquiry School: The entire Inquiry team took a knee to protest violence against black people by police in America. According to the Democrat & Chronicle, most of the players are young men of color and many are immigrants.

"We can't pretend like police brutality and race relations (aren't) a very big issue," 17-year-old Miguel Camilo Lopez told the Democrat & Chronicle in October. By then he was one of a few players continuing to kneel, and his family said their house had been vandalized as a result. "(This) brings to light issues that are bigger than soccer and bigger than ourselves."

The school district said they would use this as a "teachable moment."

Benbrook Middle-High School: A 15-year-old volleyball player knelt during the anthem before her game in Springfield, Texas, according to Fox4News. She received criticism from peers and parents since, but fans grew more supportive in the following weeks.

September 28: Soccer players in a N.C. high school take a knee

Seventy-First High School: Justice Sharpe and four of his teammates have been taking knees at soccer matches across Eastern North Carolina since the death of Keigh Lamott Scott.

"It's not logical to stand for something that doesn't stand for you," Sharpe said, as reported by the Fayetville Observer. "I just feel when the anthem was written, it was not taking us into account. Liberty and justice for all was not for us."

"It's not logical to stand for something that doesn't stand for you."

Sharpe, who is a junior and a co-captain on the team, told reporters that he has been questioning the anthem since he was in sixth grade. His father is in the special forces, so he stressed that he has respect for the military, but that he could no longer be silent about injustices.

"It's an accumulation of all the injustices," Sharpe said. "Because for decades my people have accomplished things by peaceful protest, this way is the best way. Obviously it's getting heard, so it's a good thing."

September 30: Cheerleaders and marching band members kneel in Nebraska

Omaha Central High School: In Omaha, Nebraska, six cheerleaders and members of the marching band's saxophone section knelt during the national anthem at a football game, according to Omaha Sports Insider.

"There's unjust things going on with African-Americans in the United States, and we feel it as black people," LaShanda Loftin, mother of one of the protesting cheerleaders, told the Omaha World-Herald. "She asked me if she should do it, and I told her to do what's in her heart."

Cornell High School: Twelve of the 15 cheerleaders for Cornell High took a knee during the anthem at the football game in Pennsylvania on Friday night. Not everyone was impressed.

"They don't know what they are doing, them young kids. They don't know what they are doing," WWII Army veteran Danny Larocco told Channel 11 News.

After a video of the protest went viral, a wave of backlash, including death threats and more than 600 angry phone calls to the school, caused the school to reschedule its homecoming dance. The school district also issued a formal apology to veterans.

Lincoln High School: Several football players from Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon took a knee and raised a fist during the anthem. The head coach gave them permission to do so before the game.

https://twitter.com/orlandokgw/status/782058597916090369/photo/1

Dunbar High School: A few Dunbar football players took a knee and raised their hands hands during the national anthem in Dayton, Ohio.

Crenshaw High School: Football players took a knee before a game against Oxnard High School.

October 1: The NBA protests begin in Toronto; students stay seated in Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas; Ithaca player raises fist

Toronto Raptors (NBA): Members of the only Canada-based NBA franchise brought the protests up north by locking arms in solidarity during the Canadian and U.S. anthems before the opening preseason game in Vancouver.

The protest at the game against the Golden State Warriors came as no surprise: Head coach Dwayne Casey told the Toronto Star last week that the team was considering joining the protests, saying, "All I tell our guys is to be informed...don't do it just for the sake of doing something or saying something."

"All I tell our guys is to be informed...don't do it just for the sake of doing something or saying something."

Forward Jared Sullinger and guard Terrence Ross haven't been shy in social media posts against racial injustices and police brutality, and guard DeMar DeRozan told the Star about a close friend who was killed by police recently - shot 17 times.

"Me having two younger black kids, making sure people are aware that me growing up, definitely getting pulled over was a scary thing, and definitely was a nervous thing," point guard Kyle Lowry said. "I think now we have to use our voices."

East Carolina University: During the playing of the national anthem before East Carolina's football match against Central Florida, 19 members of ECU's marching band knelt. But there was diversity amid the protest: some did not playing their instruments, and two members decided to instead hold up a U.S. flag. "We wanted to do it, not to show division, but to show that there are so many different ideas within the band...and that flag is what we are all unified under," Hunter Marketto, one of the two students holding the flag, told WITN.

When the team returned for half-time, the crowd booed them loudly. University music school administrators have since said the protest "felt hurtful to many in our Pirate family and disrespectful to our country." Such gestures will not be tolerated moving forward, they said in a statement. An ECU marketing professor reportedly now plans to carry firearms on campus as part of a counter-protest, and a local ESPN affiliate says it will not air ECU's October 8 game against South Florida. ECU's chancellor, however, said the student protest "is part of the free exchange of ideas on a university campus."

Kansas University: In a home match against Baylor, Kansas' volleyball team knelt together before the national anthem, locking arms while the announcer asked fans to reflect on how they could help create "a more just, respectful and inclusive nation." Players told the Kansas City Star they began discussing the move after Tulsa police officers killed Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man in September. But they decided disrespecting the anthem didn't feel right.

"They all said, 'Hey, we love our country. We love our flag,'" coach Ray Bechard told the Star. "'But is there some way we can challenge everybody in the gym today maybe just to be a little better person when it comes to the decisions we make about other people and how we treat each other?'"

"[I]s there some way we can challenge everybody in the gym today maybe just to be a little better person when it comes to the decisions we make about other people and how we treat each other?"

University of Alabama: A group of about 30 students stayed seated as the anthem played before the Crimson Tide beat the Kentucky Wildcats. One of the organizers, junior Dwyer Freeman, told the Crimson White their protest was an act of solidarity for those "harmed under the flag that's supposed to represent them."

Marist College: The Marist College Black Student Union knelt behind the end zone during the national anthem before the Marist football game on Saturday.

"If we don't "stand" for something, we will fall for anything," Black Student Union President Ashley Kayne told the Red Fox Report, adding that the protest was not just about the treatment of black people across the county, but also about the discrimination they faced on campus. The football team locked arms during the anthem.

El Camino College: Sophomore tight end Erik Henneman took a knee during the anthem before a football game against Bakersfield College.

"I was always taught to stand for something or you will fall for anything," Henneman, who said he had been a victim of police brutality before, told The Union. "To me it represents standing up for the police brutality against African Americans."

Missouri Western State University: After taking a knee during the national anthem, two members of the Mystics dance team were not allowed to perform at a game.

"I will always be black," Eugenia Wallace told NewsPressNow.com. "Whatever we can do to bring awareness and justice anywhere for our culture and our society as a whole, I'm going to do."

On the October 15 homecoming game, a group of MWSU students stayed seated during the national anthem.

Florida State University: Before FSU's football game against UNC, about 200 fans dressed in black remained seated during the national anthem and raised their fists in protests.

"[Kaepernick] brought awareness to a topic that is really easy to sweep under the rug," FSU student Marvel Joseph, who helped organize the protest, told FSUNews.com. "Him sitting down started a conversation, which was maybe not in the way that he planned because there were people that didn't understand why he was standing and failed to realize that he's doing this to bring attention to issues that affect our community."

Ithaca College: Senior running back Shawahl Abdur-Rahman held up his fist as the anthem played before a home game against Utica College. "I decided to stand side-by-side with my brothers on the team while I still brought up an issue that I felt personally for me, being a black player and a black person in general," Abdur-Rahman told The Ithacan. " ... Just show my support to Kaepernick and his protests and let him know that it has reached a little town like Ithaca."

"Just show my support to Kaepernick and his protests and let him know that it has reached a little town like Ithaca."

October 2: Antonio Cromartie takes the anthem protest to London

Portland Trail Blazers (NBA): The Blazers huddled in a circle during the National Anthem before the preseason game, and Damian Lillard said it was in conjunction with Kaepernick's protest.

"I'm a proud American, but the reason behind the protesting, I share that same belief,'' Lillard said. "I share the same feeling, being an African American. Obviously, every other guy on the team shares that belief as well.''

Indianapolis Colts (NFL): Cornerback Antonio Cromartie took a knee during the U.S. national anthem at London's Wembley Stadium before the NFL's first international game of the season. After becoming the first athlete to join Kaepernick's protests in the U.K., he stood back up for "God Save the Queen."

October 3: The Milwaukee Bucks say it's not a protest, but ...

Milwaukee Bucks (NBA): The Milwaukee Bucks all stood with one hand over their hearts and one hand on the shoulder of their teammates during the anthem.

While Bucks coach Jason Kidd insisted that this wasn't actually a protest, not everyone sees it that way.

"We're showing unity. There's not a protest," Kidd said, according to ESPN. "We discussed it, and I think there was a lot of discussion throughout the week. The guys have come up with a solution of what they want to do for the national anthem.

Either way, it's clear that this is an off-shoot of Kaepernick's original action.

"A protest means that players would be fined; unity means that players get to skip paying hefty fees for taking a stand against police killings of unarmed black men, women and children," Stephen A. Crockett Jr. wrote on The Root. " We see you, J. Kidd. This is not a protest; this is unity. Right, got you."

October 4: NBA's Lakers, Kings, Celtics, Knicks, Wizards, and Rockets lock arms in solidarity during anthems

Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings (NBA): When the anthem began before their pre-season match, players from both sides of the court stood up. But all locked arms with their teammates and bowed their heads.

"We wanted to honor what was going on and the people who lost their lives and the social issue that is happening," Lakers center Tarik Black told NBCLA.com. "There is something going on. There is something that needs to happen. There needs to be equality."

The gesture from the world's most famous basketball team didn't come as unexpected, and players say they plan to continue their protest until the issue itself ends.

"There's someone new that's a hashtag every week," Lakers guard Lou Williams told the LA Times days before. "For me it's not about black people, it's not about white people. It's about getting killed and getting slaughtered in the street over childish crimes."

"For me it's not about black people, it's not about white people. It's about getting killed and getting slaughtered in the street over childish crimes."

Boston Celtics (NBA): Players and coaching staff alike joined hands as the anthem played before the Celtics' opening match against the Philadelphia 76ers.

"We've had a lot of sit-down discussions about it," head coach Brad Stevens told reporters before the game. "We've had a lot of individual discussions. We've had three or four meetings with the team after practices...Our guys have been incredibly thoughtful."

Houston Rockets and New York Knicks (NBA): Players from the Knicks and Rockets locked arms together -as members of both teams stood arm in arm along a single sideline- as the anthem played before their game at Houston's Toyota Center. It was the Knicks' preseason opener, and the second game for the Rockets, who hadn't previously protested the anthem.

"It was definitely about two teams coming together,'' Joaquim Noah said. "We understand there are issues in this country and we wanted to show solidarity that we're all in this together.''

Washington Wizards (NBA): The Wizards locked arms while the anthem was played in preseason as a "peaceful protest."

"I'm not in favor of what's been going on in the country, what's been going on in recent past or the retaliation on both ends," Wizards star Bradley Beal told the Washington Post.

"I'm from St. Louis. I've been hit home with all type of stuff over the past couple years, with guys that have been friends that I've lost to individual violence and police violence. ... We're all doing it because we want something done about it. We're realizing that we're still citizens of this world even though we're NBA players. We still have a voice, and we're using it, and this is our best way of doing it."

October 5: Penn State students remain seated and raise their fists

Penn State University: At a Penn State women's volleyball game, more than 60 students wearing black clothing remained seated during the national anthem and raised their fists.

"We just came to let people know that it's time for a change," Nicole Telfer, one of the protesters, told WeAreCentralPA.com.

"It makes everybody aware that we're not going to stand for police brutality," Marquan Boyd added.

October 6: Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons stand arm-in-arm to acknowledge issues

Brooklyn Nets (NBA): Jeremy Lin had been talking about joining Kaepernick's wave of protests for a few weeks, but instead of taking a knee by himself, he decided to lock arms with his teammates, as reported by the New York Post:

"The biggest thing is it shows we all can acknowledge there is an issue at hand. But how you go about that is what we tried to do; arms around each other, solidarity, we're doing this together,'' Lin said. "This isn't anti-cops. This country needs cops. This isn't anti-minority. This country needs minorities. This is what makes our nation great. We need both. We need more compassion, and more empathy.

"Or maybe not empathy, but maybe more sympathy, where guys take the time to really put themselves in someone else's shoes. If I'm a minority, I'd have to think about what it's like to be the wife of a cop, scared every time her husband has to go to work. If I'm on the other side, I have to be able to think about what it's like to be the family member of an African-American male who might get [killed]."

Detroit Pistons (NBA): On the other side of the court at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Pistons - players and coaches alike - locked arms.

"It definitely showed unity to the league," Pistons forward Marcus Morris told MLive.com. "I think it's more a league-wide thing. Most of the team wanted to do it, so we got involved.

"Personally, I don't think that's enough, but you've got to start somewhere."

October 7: Nuggets and Lakers lock arms; high schoolers in Colorado and Indiana kneel

Denver Nuggets (NBA): Members of the Nuggets and their competition, the the Los Angeles Lakers, linked arms in solidarity as the anthem played before their preseason game. The Lakers have previously locked arms during the anthem.

Sierra High School: Five football players in Colorado Springs, Colorado took a knee during the anthem, according to Gazette Preps.

"We have these great discussions at home, my husband and my children, but I think that sometimes it has to go beyond just a discussion; there has to be some active participation," said Keyla Jones, an alumna of the school who brought her children to the protest. "So this was an opportunity for them to participate in a very peaceful way."

Amherst High School: All but one member of the Amherst high school girls' volleyball team took a knee during the anthem.

"They are simply protesting the incidents of police over-reach (to put it mildly), but in no way are they trying to offend veterans or paint all police officers with the same broad brush....they expressed those exact thoughts to me," Amherst coach Kacey Schmitt wrote in an email to parents after the game. "When I brought up the fact that they have to be prepared for some backlash, one of them stated 'So, should no one do what they believe is right, because it might upset someone else? Isn't this about open discourse, and starting a conversation?' Hard to argue with that."

Little Rock Parkview: Football coaches were seen taking a knee as the anthem played before the school's homecoming game against Beebe High School.

October 8: Youth group kneels and police are called

Woodland Hills Wolverines: Three 12- and 13-year-old members of a youth football team in Bethel Hill, Pennsylvania took a knee during the anthem. Observers began hurling racial slurs at them, and the police had to be called to stand guard.

"It seemed like everything started once the national anthem started," head coach Marcus Burkley Sr. told Channel 11 News. "Two or three of my players took a knee. Once they took a knee, you see cameras and people taking pictures. And out of nowhere you hear, 'If the little N-word want to take a knee, they shouldn't be able to play.'"

"'If the little N-word want to take a knee, they shouldn't be able to play," they heard from the stands.

Now, Buckley and a group of "concerned citizens" is pushing Parkway Youth Football to conduct an independent investigation into the racist behavior, and plans to kneel in solidarity with the kids, according to TribLive.com.

Central Michigan University: Four football players at Central Michigan - Ray Golden, Marcel Ray, Emmett Thomas, and Tyree Waller - raise their fists before the football game against Ball State.

"What that meant to us was highlighting issues that are going on in our country. In light of the recent events, we wanted to bring awareness to social injustice and show our fellow Americans that we're with them and we want to highlight change," Golden told Central Michigan Life.

Indiana University: Junior cornerback Richard Fant raised a fist during the national anthem with the full support of his head coach and the University.

"If I can find a way to have an impact, to touch people's lives, I am going to do it," Fant told iuhoosiers.com. "That is my passion."

University of Akron: On Homecoming weekend, dozens of students, mostly African Americans, remained seated during the national anthem at the football game. Many raised their fists.

"We're all affected by the things that's going on with the police brutality," student Joseph Gogins told wkyc.com. "And being a black male at a predominantly white institution, and by me working graveyard shifts, I worry every night going to and from my job because I walk."

Minnesota State University: Approximately 60 students at Minnesota State's Homecoming game dressed in black and remained seated during the national anthem. Many in the group, which was mostly black, held Black Lives Matter signs as the predominately white students jeered around them.

October 10: NBA national anthem singer takes a knee while singing

Leah Tysse: While singing the national anthem before the Sacramento Kings game, Tysse took a knee at the end of the anthem while she was singing the word " free."

She explained her decision on her Facebook page:

"I cannot idly stand by as black people are unlawfully profiled, harassed and killed by our law enforcement over and over and without a drop of accountability. ...

"Whether or not you can see if from your vantage point, there is a deep system of institutionalized racism in America, from everyday discrimination to disproportionate incarceration of people of color to people losing their lives at the hands of the police simply for being black. This is not who we claim to be as a nation. It is wrong and I won't stand for it. #Solidarity."

October 12: Singer holds vigil during anthem

Shaprece: The R&B vocalist sang the national anthem before the Seattle Sounders FC game while dressed in black, holding candles, and flanked by local choir members and breast cancer survivors.

Shaprece told The Stranger she decided against kneeling or raising her first since she would be the one leading the anthem. So she worked with Sounders management to create her demonstration:

"I told her I feel honored...but at the same time I'm completely aware of where we're at as a nation and that that song wasn't necessarily written to include people who look like me. I wanted to try to come to some sort of common ground where we could do a demonstration while making a stand against it, but also while keeping in mind that my face is very much a face of the nation, as well. To step completely away from that didn't feel right, either. I was born in America. I'm an American."

The worst thing that can happen is for people of color to be excluded from our patriotism, because ultimately, a bigot or someone who wants to see someone like me not exist would love for me not to be involved with any patriotism. To never see another black person sing the anthem is going in favor of the enemy...But I'm at peace with the way that I choose to demonstrate peace and unity."

October 14: Wicomico high school students kneel

Wicomico High School: Several player on the Wicomico football team took a knee during the anthem.

"(I did it) to support the (Black Lives Matter) movement," Keeondre' Coston, one of the protesters, told DelmarvaNow.com. "It wasn't to harm anyone, it was just a peaceful protest that me and some of my teammates decided to do for support.

"But it seemed to have upset some people."

October 16: As Kaepernick takes the field, fans and foes make moves

Buffalo, NY: Tensions were high in Buffalo before Kaepernick's first start of the season.

Before the game began, many in the crowd booed and chanted "USA! USA!" Outside the field, two T-shirts with his image were being sold: one told him to "Shut Up and Stand Up!", and another featured the words "Wanted: Notorious Disgrace to America," with a bullseye aimed at his chest.

And while Kaepernick and his teammates Eli Harold and Eric Reid While kneeled, one police officer stood directly behind the group, saluting the flag.

But there was also a group of about more than 40 Buffalo Bills fans that had Kaepernick's back. The group marched from the lot to the stadium, then kneeled in solidarity with the starting quarterback as the anthem played.

According to the Huffington Post, the protest "was organized by Just Resisting, a group of organizers of people of color, and a local chapter of Showing Up For Racial Justice, which seeks to organize white people to stand up for racial equality."

We're here to kneel with @Kaepernick7 #billsfans4blacklives @EdgeofSports @gzornick @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/fLryU98jO1

- SURJ Buffalo (@SURJBuffalo) October 16, 2016

October 17: Largest U.S. police group apologizes for historic treatment of minorities

San Diego: As athletes continue bringing issues of police brutality and accountability to bigger national platforms, the president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police said law enforcement offered a mea culpa for injustices against African Americans.

IACP President Terrence Cunningham, chief of police in Wellesley, Mass., represents about 23,000 police officials across the country. Here's part of his statement at the group's annual convention:

There have been times when law enforcement officers, because of the laws enacted by federal, state, and local governments, have been the face of oppression for far too many of our fellow citizens. In the past, the laws adopted by our society have required police officers to perform many unpalatable tasks, such as ensuring legalized discrimination or even denying the basic rights of citizenship to many of our fellow Americans.

While this is no longer the case, this dark side of our shared history has created a multigenerational - almost inherited - mistrust between many communities of color and their law enforcement agencies.

...We must move forward together to build a shared understanding. We must forge a path that allows us to move beyond our history and identify common solutions to better protect our communities.

For our part, the first step in this process is for law enforcement and the IACP to acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society's historical mistreatment of communities of color.

At the same time, those who denounce the police must also acknowledge that today's officers are not to blame for the injustices of the past. If either side in this debate fails to acknowledge these fundamental truths, we will be unlikely to move past them.

The statement received a standing ovation at the convention, and many critics have hailed it as a groundbreaking first step. But civil rights activists say words must be backed by action.

October 21: Singer kneels before NBA preseason game; high school football official kneels

Denasia Lawrence: Moments before she began performing the national anthem for a Miami Heat-Philadelphia 76ers preseason game in Miami, Lawrence took a knee mid-court and opened her jacket to reveal a Black Lives Matter T-shirt.

"We're being unjustly killed and overly criminalized," the singer wrote on Facebook, according to The Guardian. "I took the opportunity to sing and kneel to show that we belong in this country and that we have the right to respectfully protest injustices against us."

As she sang, Heat players linked arms, many with their heads down, as they have been doing over the past several weeks.

"At the end of the day, to each his own,'' Heat guard Wayne Ellington, who speaks out against gun violence often, said. "If she feels like that's the way she wants to stand for it, then more power to her.''

North Carolina High School Athletic Association: An unidentified football official took a knee during the anthem before a Southwest-Croatan High School football game.

"I just think it's not right to do that at a high school football game, especially for a official paid by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association," N.C. General Assembly Representative Phil Shepard told media.

October 22: Veterans march in counter-protest while college football players kneel

Greenville College: Some football players at the Christian school in Illinois have taken a knee during the national anthem in recent weeks. According to t o KSDK News, members of a local Veterans of Foreign Wars lodge marched to the center of the football field before the game and formed a line 50 yards long. After the anthem played, some veterans shook hands with the approximately 18 students who stood during the anthem. The rest of the athletes knelt or held fists in the air.

October 25: Columbia college volleyball players kneel after blackface incident

Columbia College: After a photo of three freshmen wearing charcoal facial masks emerged online, volleyball team players Jasmine Johnson, De'Andrea Crosby, and Kara Anderson began taking a knee at home games.

"For me, the kneeling during the national anthem represents a peaceful way of saying that black lives do matter," Johnson, a sophomore, said. "Kneeling during the national anthem shows that the flag didn't represent all ethnicities; and during this time, it's still not standing for all ethnicities, especially black lives. So until that happens, kneeling is the best, peaceful way for me to protest."

October 26: Anthem singer pulled from 76ers game performance for 'We Matter' jersey

Sevyn Streeter: Streeter had completed soundcheck before her scheduled national anthem performance at the Philadelphia 76ers' season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But about two minutes before she was set to sing, the team axed her performance.

"I'm at the 76ers game to sing the national anthem and the organization is telling me I can't because I'm wearing a 'We Matter' jersey," she said in a video. They offered her a jersey, which she refused, before replacing her with a cheerleader.

"I also felt it was important to express the ongoing challenges and ongoing injustice we face as a black community within the United States of America - that's very important to me," Streeter said, according to ESPN. "Yes, we live in the greatest country in the world, but there are issues that we cannot ignore. This can't be ignored."

"Yes, we live in the greatest country in the world, but there are issues that we cannot ignore. This can't be ignored."

After backlash from the public and from Sixers themselves, the team issued a statement apologizing for the decision and inviting her to perform at another game of her choosing.

"We felt like she should have been able to sing, and for whatever reasons, that didn't happen," guard Gerald Henderson said. "...hopefully she can come back and sing her song."

Forward Jerami Grant said if Streeter doesn't return, the team may make another gesture:

Coach [Brett] Brown came to us and allowed us to come up with an idea of what to do. He gets it. He knows how we feel about this, he knows me and a couple other guys didn't like what happened with the decision not to allow her to sing. We need to move forward. We can't change the past, but we're trying to right the wrong.

October 29: College football players join hands in 'circle of unity'

University of Texas at El Paso: Before their homecoming match began, UTEP football players linked hands with their opponents, the Old Dominion Monarchs, and raised their joined fists upwards.

It's not UTEP's first time engaging in the gesture, which walks the line between respecting law enforcement and acknowledging police discrimination toward minorities . They've done it for a few weeks now, according to The Prospector, at the suggestion of their coach after several ODU players began wearing Black Lives Matter shirts in warm-ups.

This time, though, they were supported by UTEP students and local Radical Soup activists, who displayed a Black Lives Matter poster from the stands. Others launched counter-protests, holding up signs and American flags near the group. The Prospector reports that one person holding a flag was heard to have yelled, "Go back to Africa."

November 3: Lawmakers propose slashing athletic budget after Arkansas players kneel

University of Arkansas: Six women's basketball players took a knee during the national anthem before an exhibition game versus Oklahoma Baptist University.

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Republican lawmakers Sen. Alan Clark, Rep. Kim Hammer and Rep. Laurie Rushing responded by criticizing the protest and saying they would consider cutting the school's budget. Clark said he placed a hold on the school's budget to be considered in next year's legislative session and says he will introduce an amendment to cut funding. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson also retweeted a message scolding the player s for their protest.

The athletes - Briunna Freeman, Jordan Danberry, Jailyn Mason, Tatiyana Smith, Kiara Williams, and Yasmeen Ratliff, all of whom are black -later said they will end their protest, which had been aimed at raising awareness of the "unjust system" that leads to police brutality against minorities. They have created an initiative, called Project Unify, to spark dialogue between community groups about societal issues like policing.

"We want to be a part of change in our society," Mason said. "My teammates and I will utilize the resources available to all students at the University of Arkansas and within our community to create a set of key topics that will initiate discussions to enhance understanding between the different members of our community.

November 8: Clinton election party singer kneels during anthem

Carmen Rodgers: The singer took a knee during the final line of her performance of the national anthem during Hillary Clinton's election party at New York City's Javits Center.

November 9: Emerson volleyball players protest Trump

Emerson College: Days after Donald Trump's election as president, the women's volleyball team huddled in a circle during the playing of the national anthem before a match against Morrisville State College. Some wrote messages on their arms in black marker: "Nasty Woman," "Not My President" and more.

"Once we found out the final result, it was a pretty big shock," senior Annie Hall told The Berkeley Beacon. "We were pretty upset. We thought, we have a game tomorrow and we're asking people to go. What can we do?"

Junior Sam Harton said the team thought it was important not to ignore the issue.

"It's a really dark day in history for us. I know that a lot of us came in the locker room crying today," Harton said. "Some people wanted us to just go out and play and forget about it, but I don't believe in that. There was just too much emotion to put it aside. This is a cathartic experience for us, volleyball, so we really wanted to bring it into that."

November 11: Wisconsin basketball players take a stand after racist fan costume, Nevada basketball players begin an anthem movement

University of Wisconsin: Players Nigel Hayes and Jordan Hill stood one step behind their teammates during the national anthem before an exhibition game, according to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. (Hayes said he couldn't kneel because his knees would hurt.)

The players began their protest after an Oct. 29 game in which two fans wore Halloween costumes depicting a noose around President Barack Obama's neck. The school initially responded with a mild statement about freedom of speech.

"I like to think it would have been handled differently if it would have been an anti-Semitic type of protest," Hayes said. "Once we get some better economic rights for blacks, better laws ... things become more fair and more equal. I'd love to be in a country where my people are treated equally."

The protests are a statement against U.S. race relations more broadly, too.

"You've got to take care of you and yours first, and our people are not being taken care of," Hill said. "....what everyone is singing in here or everywhere across the nation before a game does not represent us and until it does, we are not going to be apart of it."

University of Nevada: Nine of the 13 players Nevada's women's basketball team are minorities. So for the Wolf Pack, discrimination is personal. That's why, when kneeling during the anthem seemed impossible, they decided to create a campaign to celebrate diversity and unity.

"We decided as a team that we were going to kneel but I was caught between a rock and a hard place because I knew my team wanted to do that," junior guard T Moe told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "But I knew the repercussions that would happen and I had already gotten a 'no' before I had even put it out there."

Instead, when the Wolf Pack stood for the anthem before their season opener November 11, the team was joined by several Native Americans. Since the season began and over the next few weeks, the team will stand with LGBTQ people, people experiencing homelessness, Air Force members, cops, nurses and members of other communities.

November 13: Bucs' Mike Evans protests Trump

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL): Before the Bucs beat the Chicago Bears 36-30 in Tampa, wide receiver Mike Evans sat out the anthem to protest the election of Trump.

"I'm not going to stand for something I don't believe in."

"I'm not going to stand for something I don't believe in," Evans said. "When Ashton Kutcher comes out and says we've been Punk'd, then I'll stand again... But the things that's been going on in America lately, I'm not going to stand for that."

On November 15, Evans apologized for kneeling and said he was reversing course:

I have very strong emotions regarding some of the many issues that exist in our society today. I chose to sit as an expression of my frustration towards this year's election. It was very personal for me, as it was for so many Americans.

With that being said, I will not sit again during the National Anthem because I want to focus my efforts on finding more effective ways to communicate my message and bring about change by supporting organizations and movements that fight for equal rights for minorities.

This Sunday, I will be back to standing with my teammates.

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Tracking the Kaepernick Effect: The anthem protests are spreading

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Editor's Note: ThinkProgress updated and relaunched its protest tracking project in an interactive database you can find here, which includes more recent data. The original story below was last updated on November 3, 2016.

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Reactions to NFL players taking a knee in football games since Sunday have been blowing up the Internet.

If Monday was filled with images of players and vets taking the knee, Tuesday brought numerous examples of the backlash to what has gone from an expression of protest to a divisive issue. Fans burned jerseys; clubs disinvited athletes and some government agencies also made headlines for their reaction. Here are some instances of the blowback to the athletes' protest:

Players disinvited

The Krewe of Poseidon canceled the invitation for New Orleans Saints players Kenny Vaccaro and Alex Okafor after they sat for the National Anthem on Sunday, according to CNN affiliate WGNO. The players were going to be grand marshals in next year's Mardi Gras parade.

Police agency tells officers not to work games

In Ohio, Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand is prohibiting the county's deputies from working any off-duty details at NFL games, according to a Facebook post.

Hildenbrand said he attended the Cleveland Browns vs. Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday, where many players knelt while police officers and others in the stadium stood for "The Star-Spangled Banner." He mentioned that his uncle was a Vietnam veteran and that he felt "almost the entire league disrespected every veteran that ever fought or died for this country."

"If they do not have respect for us and our Country only bad things will come of that. We will not be a part of these activities," he wrote on Facebook.

Fans burn sports gear

Some NFL fans reacted directly to what their teams did this week during the anthem, some with reactions of the flammable kind.

An Indianapolis Colts fan burned his season tickets in a video he posted to Facebook on Monday.

Rodney Heard said he served in the Marine Corps and his grandfather was a WWII veteran. He said he thought about giving away the tickets or selling them, but that would just be filling the seats, so he "made his own sacrifice" by burning the tickets instead.

Some Steelers fans are taking to social media to show their disdain for most of the team sitting out the anthem on Sunday.

And some people filmed videos of themselves burning their once-prized Steelers swag to the soundtrack of frustrated feelings.

"If you disrespect our country I cannot support you," wrote self-described lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan Brian Purdy. He lit a Terrible Towel on fire on Sunday and posted it to Facebook, before deleting the post later.

Employee quits his job with a team

One man took it to another level; he says he quit his job to take a stand against #TakeAKnee.

Erich Nikischer, a New Era Field employee, declared he left his job Sunday after 30 years of working for the Buffalo Bills.

"I cannot work in a place where multi-millionaires cry that they are oppressed," he wrote on Facebook, before deleting his post on Monday.

Business stops airing games

WOW Cafe & Wingery of St. Bernard in Chalmette, Louisiana, posted on its Facebook page Sunday that it would not broadcast the New Orleans Saints game due to some local players choosing not to stand during the anthem.

One person commented, saying, "We chose to no longer spend our money on anything related to the NFL again, ever. However, we will be frequenting your restaurant. BRAVO."

Louisiana Lt. governor boycotts game

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said he won't be attending the New Orleans Saints game versus the Miami Dolphins, which is taking place in London on Sunday.

Although he is in the UK city, he told The Times-Picayune on Tuesday that he won't be attending because, "I am disappointed in the NFL."

"I don't want to get into the battle of the statement they are making or why they are kneeling. I think it is disgraceful that anybody would use that as a time to protest," he told the newspaper on Tuesday.

Multiple Saints players sat on the bench or knelt, while others stood during the National Anthem on Sunday.

Fire chief uses slur to describe Steeler's coach

A fire chief in Pennsylvania apologized after using a racist slur to describe Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Paul Smith, the chief of Cecil Volunteer Fire Station #2, had posted a remark on Facebook: "Tomlin just added himself to the list of no good N*****s. Yes I said it," reported CNN affiliate KDKA in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers had stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem, with the exception of Alejandro Villanueva, on Sunday.

Smith, who was out of the country, told KDKA: "I was frustrated and angry at the Steelers not standing the anthem. This had nothing to do with my Fire Department. I regret what I said."

The township manager issued a statement announcing that Smith would no longer serve as the chief of the Muse Volunteer Fire Company, reported KDKA.

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Backlash Grows Against NFL Players Who Take a Knee During Anthem

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Reactions to NFL players taking a knee in football games since Sunday have been blowing up the Internet. If Monday was filled with images of players and vets taking the knee, Tuesday brought numerous examples of the backlash to what has gone from an expression of protest to a divisive issue.

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there is no constitutional right to take a knee while you're at work (opinion) - cnn

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There is no constitutional right to take a knee while you're at work

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Paul Callan writes that when it comes to legal rights under the Constitution, the NFL would be completely in bounds to restrict what its players do on the field.

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Many more resources

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Dozens of NFL players knelt during the national anthem Sunday, continuing Colin Kaepernick's protest against racial injustice.

If you're wondering if we might see a similar form of expression in the NBA, you might be surprised that there's actually a rule against it.

Officially, the rule is this:

2) Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem.

You can see it in the league's official rulebook under the "Player/Team Conduct and Dress" section, below a rule requiring players to be "uniformly dressed" and above one requiring coaches to wear a sports coat.

We reached out to the NBA to ask if there are any plans to change that rule, and we'll update this piece with the league's reply.

However, Adam Silver expressed support for the rule around this time last year. Here's what he told Bleacher Report:

"I'd only say that we have a rule that requires players to stand respectfully for the anthem. That is our rule. I'm not going to prejudge any player conduct. We'll deal with any situations that present themselves. But I've been very clear that our expectation is that our players will stand for the anthem."

This weekend, we saw the NBA become embroiled in the national debate.

After Stephen Curry said he would not visit the White House to celebrate the team's championship, President Donald Trump tweeted that he was disinvited. LeBron James then called Trump a "bum," many NBA players expressed support for Curry, and the Warriors reacted in their own ways on Saturday.

On Saturday, Oakland Athletics rookie catcher Bruce Maxwell became the first MLB player to kneel during the anthem. (It's worth repeating that he was not protesting the anthem itself.) We've seen protests from WNBA players and teams, most recently the L.A. Sparks before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. We've seen protests from stars on the U.S. women's national soccer team and at many collegiate and amateur sporting leagues.

But with the NBA season only a month away, there may be players who feel they should join the protest, too.

If any players do, it won't be the first time the NBA's national anthem rule has been tested.

The NBA had an anthem "controversy" two decades ago

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was a wiry 6'1 point guard with a lightning-quick jump shot. He would be the league's all-time leading free-throw shooter by percentage, except he's 39 attempts short of officially qualifying. During the 1995-96 season with the Denver Nuggets, he chose to sit or remain in the locker room during the national anthem.

No one noticed until a local reporter mentioned it in March. Once he did, many were outraged.

NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Abdul-Rauf for one game and negotiated a compromise: Abdul-Rauf would stand for the anthem, but he could do so with his eyes closed and head bowed in prayer. Abdul-Rauf was a devout Muslim and his religion was a major reason why he chose to originally begin his silent protest, so he complied with Stern's request.

But Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Kings at the end of the season, lost sponsorships, and then lost his starting spot on his new team. When his contract expired in 1998, Abdul-Rauf was only 29, but no team showed interest in signing him. He was essentially blacklisted from the league, playing only 41 games three seasons later before officially retiring.

In 2017, things have changed.

The league has many outspoken advocates for social justice and has worked with players to help amplify those voices. In early September, Silver and NBA Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts co-signed a letter to players encouraging them to express their views on social issues affecting their communities.

But no one knows exactly how the NBA would respond if one of its players took his message to the court itself. We can't know how the league will treat one of its players kneeling during the anthem until it happens.

Technically, kneeling during the anthem is not allowed by the NBA. We'll see if the league enforces the rule should the situation arise, as it did two decades ago.

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The NBA actually has a rule against kneeling for the national anthem

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Dozens of NFL players knelt during the national anthem Sunday, continuing Colin Kaepernick's protest against racial injustice. If you're wondering if we might see a similar form of expression in the NBA, you might be surprised that there's actually a rule against it.

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Sunday was always going to be a day of reckoning. Donald Trump, whose rants against Stephen Curry and the "son of a bitch" N.F.L. players who had chosen to "disrespect" the "Flag (or Country)," as Trump tweeted, by kneeling during the national anthem, had all but ordained it so. At the day's first football game, at Wembley Stadium, in London, twenty-seven players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens dropped down and took a knee on the field as "The Star-Spangled Banner" began to swell. According to the Guardian, "there did not appear to be any white players taking a knee." Standing above the downturned heads of the kneelers, a number of players and coaches interlocked arms. Shahid Khan, the owner of the Jaguars, who donated a million dollars to President Trump's Inauguration, threaded himself between the tight end Marcedes Lewis and the linebacker Telvin Smith, both of whom are black. "Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms-race, faith, our views, and our goals," Khan said later in a statement. The sports commentator Art Stapleton tweeted that the image of Khan among his men was "powerful."

Locking arms does indeed look powerful. Kneeling looks more humble. Last year, before the election, a solitary Colin Kaepernick took to one knee during the national anthem when he played for the San Francisco 49ers, in protest of police brutality against black Americans. The quietness of his action invited loud disapproval. For the past year, the N.F.L. and many of its players have rigorously distanced themselves from Kaepernick, who has been seen as unpatriotic.

Trump is unique among politicians for his utterly apathetic relationship to sports (except, of course, to his beloved golf). He has a tin ear for the wild passion and peculiar patriotism our games induce. And so, when, this past Friday, he took on the players who kneel, he was threatening something larger than football. The N.F.L., which has effectively blackballed Kaepernick, took advantage of the opportunity. News outlets quickly interpreted the Wembley scene, both the locking of arms and the kneeling, as a collaborative gesture of powerful men "united" against Trump. The language had been given to them by the N.F.L. itself: the official Jets Twitter account posted a photo of the team arranged in a circular formation prior to the start of their afternoon game, with the word "Unity" beneath it. The statements put out by the teams in the last twenty-four hours are full of words like "peace," "together," and "social change." The specific, and polarizing, language of racial justice quickly receded from the conversation.

"The kneel will now become a sign of opposition to Trump," the journalist David Corn tweeted, after photos of the Wembley game began to circulate. This, for better or worse, is true. Trump's talent lies in reorienting conversation around the shocking fact of his Presidency. Ironically, he has made protest, or the look of it, appealing to one of the most politically stagnant organizations in the country. The writer Zoe Samudzi clarified, in an all-caps tweet, that black resistance to anti-blackness does not, in fact, revolve around Trump. But already, taking the knee, which is currently ballooning as a hashtag, is gaining multiple, confused meanings-ones different from, and sometimes contradictory to, what Kaepernick meant by the gesture. The knee is about free speech itself. Or it's a reaction to Trump's "buck-breaking" rhetoric, as the actor Jesse Williams said on Twitter. Or it's about broken alliances, presumably between the team owners, many of whom donated to the Trump campaign. Today, it is all about the pride of the N.F.L. This afternoon, Trump himself interpreted the locked arms as "great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country." Those who kneeled, however, were still engaged in behavior that wasn't "acceptable."

We don't yet know what each man at Wembley and other stadiums on Sunday was thinking as he took a knee or joined a row of locked arms. But when the retired Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, a vocal opponent of Kaepernick's tactic prior to Trump's attack, took the knee at Wembley, the political elasticity of the symbol became clearer than ever. Later in the day, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not go on the field at all during the anthem. Was this a statement or an attempt to avoid the political stage altogether? Some players seem to be using the opportunity to emphasize Kaepernick's original intent. (Miami's players were photographed wearing #ImWithKap T-shirts during warmups.) But for Kaepernick, kneeling was something quieter and more particular, a move he used to communicate a point about structural disenfranchisement. An article published in the Times earlier this month suggested that the coverage of the gesture had become so hyped that he had planned to stop with the kneeling altogether-that is, if he had been signed to play.

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Sunday was always going to be a day of reckoning. Donald Trump, whose rants against Stephen Curry and the "son of a bitch" N.F.L. players who had chosen to "disrespect" the "Flag (or Country)," as Trump tweeted, by kneeling during the national anthem, had all but ordained it so.

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One year ago, the nation watched as the city of Ferguson, Mo., erupted.

St. Louis police, dressed in riot gear, stood in a straight line, shields up and face masks down in a standoff with protestors. The media assembled on the sidelines, cameras poised to capture the latest. There was tear gas, burning buildings, chants and signs.

Protesters came armed with a message, a message that would echo through the Missouri night sky in the days and weeks after Michael Brown's death. It was a message heard across the nation in more protests for other black Americans who died by police hands. "Black lives matter," they chanted, wrote and tweeted. "Black lives matter," they chanted in throngs that blocked streets and demanded America's attention.

While demonstrators took to the streets of Ferguson and cities like New York and Los Angeles, a new generation of activists gathered both on the ground and online. The Black Lives Matter movement called for change with how police deal with minorities, and demanded a look at systemic racism and equity. And from it emerged a group of young people paving the way.

Brittany Packnett is one of them.

Packnett, 30, grew up in north St. Louis County in an African-American household lead by parents with advanced degrees. She is an activist, educator and a Member of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

She said the death of Michael Brown deepened her commitment to social justice.

"I think the most significant thing that has changed is that people can see this isn't just about Mike Brown, this isn't just about Tamir Rice, and it isn't just about Sandra Bland," she said. "It is about defending the humanity and the dignity of all people in this country and of people of color in particular."

The young movers and shakers who have been leading the Black Lives Matter movement are now one year out and reflecting back on how far the movement has come. And what else they think still needs to be done.

"I think what we have seen primarily change is that people recognize that here we are 365 days later and we are still talking about it," said Packnett.

On Dec. 1, 2014, Packnett stood outside the Oval Office with seven other young activists. While she waited to meet with President Barack Obama she reflected on the fact that it was her enslaved ancestors who had built the White House.

"We were responsible in that moment to speak truths about our community to the leader of the free world, and that was a real opportunity, but it was also a real responsibility," Packnett recalled.

The president announced the formation of the task force that day, and in the weeks to follow Packnett would be named as a member. In May 2015, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing released a comprehensive report identifying best policing practices and offering recommendations to strengthen trust among law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File

A recent survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that one year after the death of Michael Brown, more than 3 out of 5 blacks say they or a family member have personal experience with being treated unfairly by the police -- and their race is the reason. The poll also revealed that nearly 3 out of 4 white people thought race had nothing to do with how police in their communities decide to use deadly force.

AP Photo/HO/Martin Family

Activist and 25-year-old data scientist Samuel Sinyangwe, who lives in San Francisco, says the movement is making a difference anyway. He is a Stanford graduate who grew up in Orlando 15 minutes from where Trayvon Martin was killed. He helped found the website Mapping Police Violence after the death of Michael Brown.

"I had a lot of questions and I was frustrated by the fact that I couldn't get answers because the federal government was not collecting comprehensive information and data on police killings," he said. "What I wanted to know was how prevalent and how widespread are police killings. How are they potentially targeting black people and young black people in particular."

Sinyangwe collected data by using two large crowdsourcing databases on police killings. He says Mapping Police Violence has come to many conclusions, including "Ferguson is everywhere."

Sinyangwe's data has found that since 2015, at least 184 black people have been killed by police in the U.S. so far. In 2014, over 300 black people were killed. In the last year, Black Lives Matter has protested the deaths of black people including Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Sandra Bland and Tamir Rice, to name a few.

"Not only is it happening everywhere, it's happening in some places more than others. We are able to shine a spotlight on why some of these uprisings are happening in some places," Sinyangwe said. "This is rooted in policy and the system can be changed."

Sinyangwe uses Newark, N.J. as an example. With about the same population and crime rate as St. Louis, and around the same amount of black people, crime in Newark is going down, Sinyangwe says. On the other hand, crime in St. Louis is going up. He says no black people have been killed by police in Newark since 2013, while 12 have been killed in St. Louis.

He says he hopes that the data Mapping Police Violence provides helps the problem of police violence be better understood, and helps towards addressing it.

Many of the protests held over the last year occurred after officers were not charged with crimes, as was the case in the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice. But just last week, a prosecutor was quick to charge a Univ. of Cincinnati police officer with the death of Samuel DuBose during a traffic stop in Ohio.

An Associated Press analysis released in late July revealed that 24 states have passed at least 40 new measures after Ferguson. The AP reports that the measures have included addressing such things as officer-worn cameras, training about racial bias, independent investigations when police use force and new limits on the flow of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies.

While the effects of these policies are new and not yet known, Sinyangwe says it is still progress.

"You really haven't seen anything as impactful as we are seeing this one right now in terms of seeing immediate legislation being proposed and passed and signed at all levels of government," he said.

The Black Lives Matter movement hasn't come without its share of criticism. Some have called it anti-police, others anti-white; the majority of criticism has come from those on social media. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag sparked another controversial hashtag as well, #AllLivesMatter.

"I thought it represented a real misunderstanding, that, unfortunately, happens often when marginalized people finally begin to tell our own story," said Packnett about #AllLivesMatter.

Saying black lives matter is not the same as saying only black lives matter, Packnett said.

"What it is saying though is an acknowledgement of the fact that black lives, brown lives, that people of color in particular, are the ones suffering disproportionately from issues of police brutality, police violence and discrimination in the criminal justice system," she said.

A CBS News/New York Times poll released in July revealed that nearly 6 in 10 Americans say they think race relations in America are bad. And among those polled, blacks are more likely than whites to hold this view. Nearly 8 in 10 African-Americans believe the criminal justice system is biased against them, up from 61 percent in 2013.

Black Lives Matter was sparked by a woman who tweeted it after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin and it caught on, especially after the death of Michael Brown. It was also turned into an organization under the same name, Black Lives Matter. But the movement as a whole is also referred to as the Black Lives Matter movement.

As Packnett explained, the movement has faced criticism for not having a single leader, no one person the head of the movement.

A common misconception is that the movement is leaderless. But Packnett says it's actually "leader-full," and not being under the rule of one or two people allows many people to pursue change in the way they believe most beneficial and in a decentralized manner.

Sinyangwe said there is frustration from some people at the slowness of legislation, and he understands that. He said there is another common misconception about this movement, that nothing is happening. He says that's not true.

"Change is happening. And we will get free, but it is going to be a little while," he said. "What's happening really is unprecedented."

Sinyangwe says Social Media has been the lifeblood of the movement.

"People would not have heard about Ferguson if it wasn't for social media. And when I say social media, I mean Twitter," he said.

At least six people have already been killed by police this month. It's been 3 days.
- Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) August 3, 2015

Many of the activists have shared personal testimonies on Twitter, organized protests and spread their messages. It has also served as an educational tool for those outside of the movement.

"I think there is a misconception that the movement started with a hashtag," said Sinyangwe. "I think the movement started with everyday people."

But Sinyangwe says social media has still been powerful.

"It allows people to organize and build a community where it previously has not been," he said.
National conversation
Kayla Reed, 25, is field organizer for the Organization for Black Struggle. She is also a member of the Ferguson Action Council, a collaborative effort and coalition of organizations founded after the death of Michael Brown. She said the group comes together weekly to discuss action planning on the ground. The organization is responsible for the #UNITEDWEFIGHT weekend of events planned in Ferguson for the anniversary of Michael Brown's death.

Reed acknowledges that Black Lives Matter has now become a national conversation about race, and political candidates have had to answer questions about it. Most recently, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have fielded questions about Black Lives Matter, as well as candidates during the first GOP debate.

"You are seeing both Republicans and Democrats having to address the issue of police accountability, injustice and the racial inequalities that exist in America in a way you haven't seen before," Reed said.

In late July, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley was heckled on stage by demonstrators at the progressive Netroots Nation convention. The Democratic presidential candidate responded to the Black Lives Matter protesters by saying, "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter."

He has since walked back those comments, and, as Sinyangwe points out, he has recently released a comprehensive plan to address some of the issues the Black Lives Matter movement has raised.

Sinyangwe would like to see the passing of a comprehensive package of federal legislation related to policing and criminal justice reform in the next year. In addition, he would like to see policies in police departments passed and enforced such as banning chokeholds, banning nickel rides, emphasizing deescalation, the carrying of non-lethal weapons and prohibiting shooting at moving cars -- to name a few.

Packnett said she too would like to see policies on paper become reality.

"What I am really looking to see is the foundation that we have laid to really turn into tangible outcomes and changes in peoples everyday lives," she said. "It didn't take just a year to get into this position. So it's going to take more than a year to get out of it."

She said she also hopes to see people continue to be creative, thoughtful and sustained in bringing forth what she calls a 21st Century human rights movement.

"I want to see us continue to live authentically as our generation does. I want to see some real wins that will help us figure out what the next win will be," Packnett said. "We will get there. We will keep going."

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How a death in Ferguson sparked a movement in America

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One year ago, the nation watched as the city of Ferguson, Mo., erupted. St. Louis police, dressed in riot gear, stood in a straight line, shields up and face masks down in a standoff with protestors. The media assembled on the sidelines, cameras poised to capture the latest.

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF https://t.co/wujGb0EON3

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF pic.twitter.com/wujGb0EON3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2017

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF https://t.co/wujGb0EON3

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF https://t.co/wujGb0EON3

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Cowboys & Owner Jerry Jones link arms & kneel together prior to the national anthem on #MNF

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Opinion article

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Opinion | Eric Reid: Why Colin Kaepernick and I Decided to Take a Knee (Published 2017)

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We chose the gesture purposefully. Our bodies were like flags flown at half-mast to mark a tragedy.

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Poet

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We celebrate black history to honor those who came before us, who laid the foundation for this house we call America, who struggled and excelled, who took a stand for what they believed in, and sometimes died doing so. We REMEMBER each tremendous journey, we RECOGNIZE the calamities, and we RAISE our voices in solidarity. We take a stand. Together. For the children. For America. And, we live.

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We celebrate black history to honor those who came before us, who laid the foundation for this house we call America, who struggled and excelled, who took a stand for what they believed in, and sometimes died doing so. We REMEMBER each tremendous journey, we RECOGNIZE the calamities, and we RAISE our voices in solidarity.