Opinion: Does Trump even know what the kneeling NFL players are protesting?

To the editor: Our president has turned his ire toward professional athletes. The stated reason is that their protests are disrespectful to the flag and country. (“As Trump continues his attacks, NFL players protest by kneeling or locking arms,” Sept. 24)

The athletes are not protesting Francis Scott Key, Betsy Ross or even the United States as a country. They are protesting the fact that African Americans are more likely to be shot by police officers than other people.

Now, they are also protesting President Trump.

This criticism of Trump is what he wants to stop. By framing the protests as against the flag and the country, the president discredits the validity of the protest movement, hoping the public will side with him.

Trump should worry about running the country, not stopping the very American behavior of criticizing the people who are in charge.

Norwood Price, Burbank

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To the editor: Trump did not “ignite a war” with the sports world, as a print headline in The Times said. He criticized those NFL players who have refused to stand for the national anthem. Trump said such players should be fired.

NFL players are employees. As such, they have no right to display their anti-American opinions during work time. Any NFL player who refuses to stand during the national anthem should be fired on the spot.

Some outraged fans have begun to boycott games; their numbers will surely grow. Do you have any sense of how the average American feels seeing multimillionaire athletes spitting in the face of the country that gave them everything they have?

Refusing to stand is spitting in the face of everything good America stands for. Refusing to stand is a slap in the face of every fan who bought a ticket to attend a game. If NFL officials refuse to take a clear and pro-American stand in regard to firing anti-American players, then the NFL will stand for “No Fans Left.”

Ray Shelton, Glendale

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To the editor: As an Air Force veteran, I take great exception to the president criticizing a nonviolent exercise of free speech and lecturing the country on what it means to be patriotic.

This is a president whose past physician declared him unfit for military service during the Vietnam War because of bone spurs. Trump’s wartime condition hasn’t appeared on any of his health disclosures since.

Real patriots — like those currently on the front lines of battle — do not run when asked to serve, and they do not distract from their failures by denigrating others.

What a small man we have elected as our leader.

Loretta Redd, Santa Barbara

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To the editor: To deny employment to an athlete for kneeling during the national anthem is to mock the freedoms the anthem is held to represent, as if they only cover the views of those who march in lockstep.

Should NBC have fired Trump from “The Apprentice” when, year after year, he insisted Barack Obama was not a natural-born citizen and therefore not our legitimate president, denigrating not just the man but the democratic process itself? Why is only one behavior a fireable offense? Who decides, and where does it stop?

We think about what certain patriotic symbols stand for and whether we truly believe in those values, not just with the reflexive salute but in practice. Otherwise, those symbols can become meaningless and even dangerous.

John Wilson, West Hollywood

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To the editor: While I understand that the gesture of kneeling is a sign of protest that some are uncomfortable with, I don’t see it as a sign of disrespect.

NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and others like him are not refusing to acknowledge the flag; they’re not sitting down or too lazy to bother to stand. Kneeling is actually a gesture of submission, often before overwhelming power — think knights kneeling before kings, or the gesture of kneeling to pray in church.

In this case, kneeling is a visible cry for help to those who are able to stand, soldiers and veterans included. It is a powerful plea to help raise everyone to full stature before the law and to make this republic and its democracy work better.

Rosvita Rauch, Hill, N.H.

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To the editor: The president is right when he says, in reaction to athletes refusing to visit with Trump, that being invited to the White House is a great honor.

I would go one step further: Being invited to live at the White House is a great honor, Mr. President, so please grow up and stop embarrassing us.

Sharon Blain, Aliso Viejo

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