Constitutional or Worth Boycotting? Experts Answer Questions About NFL

A wave of protests swept across the National Football League on Sunday. There are differing opinions amongst Americans about some players’ acts of kneeling, holding fists in the air, locking arms or other defiant displays when the National Anthem is sung and the American flag is waved. 

Experts from the American Family Association, Alex McFarland Ministries, Center for Security Policy and the American Pastors Network can answer these questions, and more:

• Are these displays constitutional, or not? 
• Are the players and teams who won’t honor our nation disrespectful? 
• Is it their right to choose to kneel?
• Is it the right of other Americans who love our country to boycott the NFL?
• Does this boil down to disrespecting the rule of law in our nation? 
• Are the players or the NFL – or both – at fault, or are they right?
• Is the NFL’s refusal to enforce its own rules calling for disciplinary action for disrespect of the national anthem and flag encouraging similar sentiments among fans?

"This has nothing to do with race or anything else. This has to do with respect for our country and respect for our flag," President Trump said. Yet, Colin Kaepernick claims his 2016 protest was aimed at drawing more attention to treatment of minorities in America.

Critics counter that the protests are disrespectful of our country and our military. However, a group of US veterans wrote an open letter of support to Kaepernick and other activist athletes.

"The right for those athletes, and all Americans, to protest is one we all pledged to defend with our lives if necessary," the letter read. 

Still other Americans believe that their right is to find something better to do with their time on game days.

To interview a representative on this topic from:

• The American Family Association,
• Dr. Alex McFarland,
• The Center for Security Policy or,
• The American Pastors Network,

Contact Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com or Deborah Hamilton, 610.584.1096, ext. 102.