Standing up to a bully

Risking fury from fans and a potential boycott led by a mad tweeter, the National Football League took the moral high ground Wednesday — and defended the rights of players to peacefully protest during the national anthem. Kudos to Roger Goodell and owners for refusing to punish players who don’t toe the line laid down by the bully in the White House.

From the moment back in August 2016 that Colin Kaepernick knelt, he took pains to describe it as a respectful but pointed protest against police killings of African-American men, and the lack of accountability thereof.

We have never thought attempting to make such a focused point by aiming at the anthem and the flag is effective. It alienates too many patriotic people of good will who bristle at what they perceive as disrespect of the country’s basic symbols.

But the right to protest is as American as it gets, and the attempt by President Trump to cow “son of a b---h” players into submission as banana-republic thuggish as it gets.

Goodell said as much in his careful, political way, saying, “We believe everyone should stand for the national anthem,” but defending players who seek to express themselves as they see fit.

He likely realizes that the league is nothing without its players.

Predictably, the nuanced stance is totally lost on a President of the United States, who revels in the divisiveness he sows for political gain. Thursday, Trump tweeted that the NFL’s decision to stand by its players exhibits “Total disrespect for our great country.”

Consider that language: This President, who took an oath to uphold the Constitution, is outraged a private sector concern won’t “force” (his word) a patriotic litmus test upon its employees.

Meantime, Trump would never dare demand that all 2 million federal civilian employees recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem every Monday morning. Or would he?

We are fully aware that in this culture war he has cynically escalated, Trump has the support of millions of fans, who just want the multimillionaires on their teams to stand up, put their hands on heart, and sing. They want Sundays reserved for sport and pageantry, not politics.

We sympathize with the impulse. But it is, as they say, a free country. For now.