The debate over how people view professional athletes' behavior during the national anthem before games, especially in the National Football League, has led to split opinions between my sons.
Derek, who is in the U.S. Army Reserves and an Eagle Scout, looks at any action other than following proper anthem protocol as being improper. He sees the playing of the national anthem as a time for people to show reverence toward the flag and remember those who have sacrificed in order to allow us freedom.
Griffin is more liberal and is an avid professional sports fan. He became a bit unhinged last week when President Donald Trump interjected his opinion on the behavior of NFL players during the anthem. I received a string of well-thought-out text messages from Griffin about how our freedom allows us to react during the playing of the national anthem. People have freedom of speech and the ability to exercise it. Players in the NFL who kneel during the anthem or who simply don't follow protocol, are voicing their freedom of speech, Griffin said.
The entire roster of the Green Bay Packers didn't follow what's considered to be proper anthem etiquette before their game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. A few of the players knelt, but the majority of the team stood and locked arms.
During the anthem, protocol, which is actually part of U.S. code, states that citizens face the flag, stand at attention and put their right hand over their heart. If wearing a hat, it should be removed and held in the right hand. As that hand covers the heart the hat should be at the left shoulder. Rules are different for those in uniform.
Despite the fact that my sons disagree over what is happening, I find this all a relevant exercise in freedom of speech. It's occurring in a manner that has engaged many Americans.
The most popular televised sport in the United States is the National Football League. In some way, shape or form, many households are weekly having a discussion about the actions of players during the anthem.
I believe in reverence during the playing of the anthem. No matter who is president, no matter what social ills are occurring in society, when I pledge allegiance to the flag, I'm going to stand and face the flag and pay my respects.
However, I don't believe that those who do something different are necessarily doing something wrong.
This is because I believe that our right to freedom of speech is greater than the need to show protocol during the playing or singing of the national anthem. As long as people have a good, defendable reason for a proper "protest" behavior during the anthem, I cannot disagree with that. The same people who sacrificed much or all to provide us with the freedom, also fought for Americans to have the right to freedom of speech. The ability to exercise that freedom outweighs protocols for allegiance in my opinion.
I may or may not agree with our president, Congress, supreme court, governor, state Legislature, state supreme court and/or any other litany of federal, state or local political representatives. However, I fully respect their offices. I believe this is a duty of statesmanship, which has been lost in recent years. Among those who have eroded the respect for these offices are the people who hold them.
At any period in United States history you can find public discourse that is disrespectful to virtually any office-holder. It's easy to go back and find printed works where George Washington was taken to task for his beliefs and policies.
In the modern age, the office of president of the United States began eroding exponentially after the Watergate scandal under the administration of Richard Nixon. Since then, the press corps, which may have looked the other way during personal transgressions of other presidents, has been reporting as fully as possible the deeds of the commander-in-chief. The second term of Bill Clinton's presidency is among the most disappointing in our history.
The polarization that has developed between the left and the right is worse at the state level in Wisconsin than it is at the federal level. And at the federal level it is abysmal.
The Republican Party has majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. One would think Republicans would be able to deliver on their promise to eliminate the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). However, Republicans who are on the far right of the party do not agree with more mainstream Republicans on what the exact legislation to dissolve the Affordable Care Act should say. So, even though the Republicans have more than enough votes in Congress to dissolve the Affordable Care Act, they've failed to do so in three separate votes so far this year.
Not only do Republicans fail to disagree with each other, but so do Democrats. What we should see is more legislators doing the hard work of statesmanship and making calculated compromises for the good of all the people.
It does bother me that millionaire professional football players sit or kneel during the national anthem. I understand the reason they are doing it. I only can control what I will do when the time comes for me to pay my respect to our flag. I believe in the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution above all. The rights are more important than ritual.
- Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.
Derek, who is in the U.S. Army Reserves and an Eagle Scout, looks at any action other than following proper anthem protocol as being improper. He sees the playing of the national anthem as a time for people to show reverence toward the flag and remember those who have sacrificed in order to allow us freedom.
Griffin is more liberal and is an avid professional sports fan. He became a bit unhinged last week when President Donald Trump interjected his opinion on the behavior of NFL players during the anthem. I received a string of well-thought-out text messages from Griffin about how our freedom allows us to react during the playing of the national anthem. People have freedom of speech and the ability to exercise it. Players in the NFL who kneel during the anthem or who simply don't follow protocol, are voicing their freedom of speech, Griffin said.
The entire roster of the Green Bay Packers didn't follow what's considered to be proper anthem etiquette before their game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. A few of the players knelt, but the majority of the team stood and locked arms.
During the anthem, protocol, which is actually part of U.S. code, states that citizens face the flag, stand at attention and put their right hand over their heart. If wearing a hat, it should be removed and held in the right hand. As that hand covers the heart the hat should be at the left shoulder. Rules are different for those in uniform.
Despite the fact that my sons disagree over what is happening, I find this all a relevant exercise in freedom of speech. It's occurring in a manner that has engaged many Americans.
The most popular televised sport in the United States is the National Football League. In some way, shape or form, many households are weekly having a discussion about the actions of players during the anthem.
I believe in reverence during the playing of the anthem. No matter who is president, no matter what social ills are occurring in society, when I pledge allegiance to the flag, I'm going to stand and face the flag and pay my respects.
However, I don't believe that those who do something different are necessarily doing something wrong.
This is because I believe that our right to freedom of speech is greater than the need to show protocol during the playing or singing of the national anthem. As long as people have a good, defendable reason for a proper "protest" behavior during the anthem, I cannot disagree with that. The same people who sacrificed much or all to provide us with the freedom, also fought for Americans to have the right to freedom of speech. The ability to exercise that freedom outweighs protocols for allegiance in my opinion.
I may or may not agree with our president, Congress, supreme court, governor, state Legislature, state supreme court and/or any other litany of federal, state or local political representatives. However, I fully respect their offices. I believe this is a duty of statesmanship, which has been lost in recent years. Among those who have eroded the respect for these offices are the people who hold them.
At any period in United States history you can find public discourse that is disrespectful to virtually any office-holder. It's easy to go back and find printed works where George Washington was taken to task for his beliefs and policies.
In the modern age, the office of president of the United States began eroding exponentially after the Watergate scandal under the administration of Richard Nixon. Since then, the press corps, which may have looked the other way during personal transgressions of other presidents, has been reporting as fully as possible the deeds of the commander-in-chief. The second term of Bill Clinton's presidency is among the most disappointing in our history.
The polarization that has developed between the left and the right is worse at the state level in Wisconsin than it is at the federal level. And at the federal level it is abysmal.
The Republican Party has majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. One would think Republicans would be able to deliver on their promise to eliminate the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). However, Republicans who are on the far right of the party do not agree with more mainstream Republicans on what the exact legislation to dissolve the Affordable Care Act should say. So, even though the Republicans have more than enough votes in Congress to dissolve the Affordable Care Act, they've failed to do so in three separate votes so far this year.
Not only do Republicans fail to disagree with each other, but so do Democrats. What we should see is more legislators doing the hard work of statesmanship and making calculated compromises for the good of all the people.
It does bother me that millionaire professional football players sit or kneel during the national anthem. I understand the reason they are doing it. I only can control what I will do when the time comes for me to pay my respect to our flag. I believe in the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution above all. The rights are more important than ritual.
- Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.
