Player protests are patriotic
Most hear the word "protest" in a negative way because we have been conditioned to think of a protest as being against someone or something. However, the word protest is a term derived from two Latin words: "pro," which means "for," and "testari," which means "to stand."
Therefore the word protest means to stand for something, not against.
Most of the NFL players, coaches and owners on Sunday protested, some standing with locked arms, some kneeling and others sitting during the playing or singing of our national anthem. They really were standing standing for freedom of speech, equality and the diversity that are woven into the tapestry of the First Amendment and into the foundation of this very nation we call the UNITED States.
They were standing for" liberty and justice " for all.
A retired naval officer said it best Monday morning when commenting on this protest: "If you think I joined the Navy and fought for this country so NFL players could kneel during the Anthem, you'd be right!"
Mike Deal, Little River
This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Player protests are patriotic."