Football Player Stands Alone To Honor America During The National Anthem

The Millikin University football team decided to follow in Colin Kaepernick’s footsteps and protest the national anthem. What a role model, that Kaepernick is. But the entire team decided to protest by staying in the locker room during the national anthem. I guess they thought kneeling on the sideline would look too collectively douchey? Actually, that is the reason. The players took a knee on Sept 24th, but it didn’t go over well with the community, so they decided to express themselves by hiding in their safe space instead.

“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,’” the team wrote in a statement that was published in the Herald-Review.

 

“Please let there be no doubt that we have the utmost respect for the sacrifice made by those who served or do serve in our armed forces, including many of our family and friends,” the football team wrote. ‘Therefore, it is our desire to do nothing that could be viewed as disrespectful of their sacrifice.”

University president Patrick White backed up their move.

“We all need to listen to voices and opinions different from our own and listen with our hearts and minds awake to difference,” White wrote. “When the issues involve race and justice and differing contentions of what patriotism mean, all of us can stand more education.”

One member of the team, Connor Brewer, didn’t go along with it. In fact, he went to the sideline and honored his country alone.

This guy is awesome, and the university president is wrong. Patriotism doesn’t involve whining about perceived injustices and hunkering down in a locker room to avoid opposition. It also doesn’t involve looting, rioting or hunting down cops, but that’s neither here nor there.

Connor, you rock. Your team could learn a thing or two from you.