Can’t stand the NFL’s disrespect
Bronx: What the NFL players are doing to our country is disgusting and disrespectful. They are ungrateful, spoiled, ignorant brats who should be made to pay back their free scholarships and contribute money to every college so that kids who are really deserving with brains get a chance. Not only are they poor role models for today’s young generation, they are disregarding the sacrifices made by men and women who have served our country in the past and now. This behavior should not be condoned. They should focus their concern on how the inner-city kids keep repeating the vicious cycle of behavior that has plagued their neighborhoods for years. They are not role models; they are just causing more hate.
They all should be made to volunteer in VA hospitals across America to see why their behavior is unacceptable. God bless America forever. Proud to be American. Lucille Martinez Madison, Ala.: I have been a fan of the NFL since 1956. No more. The players have politicized a game and disrespected those of us who believe in the goodness of the country. If the players individually or collectively want to advocate for “social justice”; they should find another medium and develop a message that we can all understand and support. George Townsend
Players have rights
Bronx: It is not the NFL owners’ and players’ intent in any way, shape or form to disrespect any member of our military branches. They are simply exercising their constitutional right, and this is something that needs to be respected. During the Vietnam War, people exercised their constitutional right and burned the American flag for what they believed. President Trump is making this about our military versus the NFL. The job of the President is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. By stepping on the First Amendment, and bringing such division between the sport of football and our military, he has committed an infraction and violation against the amendment. Edgar Torres
Shut up and play
Brooklyn: I can’t believe the Steelers, Stevie Wonder, Stephen Curry, LeBron James and other overpaid babies making big bucks playing a child’s game in the greatest country in the world and acting totally disrespectful to our President and all NFL fans who pay big money to support them. They have a right to their beliefs and opinions, but not to use that platform they choose to show disrespect. Fans just want them to play the game or play music they overpay in the first place to see you. I hope the NFL and NBA go right in the toilet. God forbid we would have criticized our last President, who pardoned the most criminals of all our Presidents and had no guts to stand up for our great country. What a disgrace! Kevin Donahue
Don’t diss the flag
Forest Hills: Anyone disrespecting the American flag should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe the media should not put the camera on these NFL players. The media should be spending more time on all the first responders heading to the ravaged places that the hurricanes hit. That would be a united America story!
Mary Manly
No field protests
Floral Park, L.I.: With the salaries the NFL pays its players, they should be able to get up off their knees, go out into communities where these injustices occur and volunteer for change. But they choose the lazy route and expect others to do the work for them. Respect our flag, anthem and country. John Kiernan
Cut off the checks
Williamsburg, Va.: Does the President know the military pays for NFL televised games? Perhaps he should consider cutting this off as well. John Lemandri
Better spent time
Ronkonkoma, L.I.: I was going to take my grandson to his first NFL game, but decided to take him on a tour of Sing Sing prison instead.
Bill Baker Garwood, N.J.: I am a white 63-year-old from New Jersey and have never been so embarrassed as I am of the idiot who is currently renting the White House and the utter hypocrisy and total ignorance spoken this weekend against athletes taking a knee for what they believe in. Mr. Trump: It is not about the flag! It is about expression of their concerns regarding social injustices, particularly against people of color. As a five-time draft dodger, how could you possibly speak about respect for the flag? If the NFL is so disrespectful, why did you accept $1 million from seven different owners for your inauguration? It is OK for you to take the money, but not the athletes?
John Deichmeister
Divisive choices
Walden, N.Y.: It saddens me to see such division in our country! I’m not a fan at all of the way the President worded his dissatisfaction with the NFL; however, I believe taking a knee during the national anthem is extremely disrespectful. As a child, I was taught to stand, no hat, hand over heart, sing — and absolutely no talking! People died for me to be free; they deserve the utmost respect! Now many players kneel in protest of racism, so I ask you: If I stand, am I considered a racist? This is truly the wrong platform! We are fortunate to have freedom of speech, just please don’t disrespect our flag. Let’s find other ways to unite!
Gail P. Ellis
Player ignorance
Manhattan: The sideline crap with the kneeldowns and everything else is all caused by the total ignorance of the black players doing this. The inner-city schools of the U.S. are wholly owned by the Democrats. The total lack of education for the inner-city blacks should be protested every Monday morning by the black football players on the steps of city halls all over the U.S. where black people can’t get a good education. The only guaranteed chance of a decent education for a black child in these inner cities is at schools paid for by white Wall Street millionaires who only ask that the black kids succeed. I don’t see any black players hanging out at fund-raisers for charter schools. Where are the charter schools paid for by multimillionaire black football players? There is no case for blacks being treated badly except in the inner cities, and the blacks run the inner cities with the help of the Democrats. Then the owners defend the kneeldowns. Trump is right.
Rene Bodkin
Keep opinions to yourself
Charleston, S.C.: Why can’t sports commentators just concentrate on football (“NBC broadcaster Cris Collinsworth wants to see Donald Trump apologize to NFL players,” Sept. 25)? I agree with Trump. I am sick and tired of these players leaning on the rest of us to clean up their violent streets and cities. Why don’t they have a solution for their own people? Our policemen do all they can to control these violent places. The vast majority of our crime in our beautiful Southern city is done by black men. Of course they are going to see police more, and thank God for those AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES good policemen. Why don’t these players go live in London. I’m not watching any longer and am writing sponsors that I’m not supporting them if they continue to support you. Anne Coleman
Pay for play, not politics
Los Angeles: When I buy a ticket or subscribe to a TV station or go to a show, I do not expect to be buying into some athlete or actor’s political statement. That game or that show is not a platform that gives them the right to lecture me on anything, and I resent it when they do. I don’t care what they think, and they do not have an inherent right to express their opinion at work. The owners should make that crystal clear. And make no mistake about it, all of these protests, whether by Colin Kaepernick or Michael Bennett or the actors in “Hamilton,” are nothing but political statements. That reality is evident as the protests expand. Now a Green Bay Packers player says his protest during the anthem was to bring awareness to the suffering of the people of Puerto Rico. Hey, I love dogs. Why don’t players kneel during the anthem to promote awareness about the suffering of stray animals? Why don’t plumbers show up at your house and then kneel and raise a fist to bring attention to the problem of 507 murders in Chicago this year? These are basically narcissistic, coddled children being coddled by narcissistic team owners. A pox on all of them. Dale Leshaw