No attention needed

Just once I would like to see someone recognize what those 60,000 to 100,000 people standing in the stadium are doing, and to suggest the idea of courtesy to those people, so as not to disrespect their devotion to their flag and country at that particular time, which has been set aside for that purpose.

The players kneeling at that moment suggest that their issues are so pressing and important that what all those thousands of people are doing is of lesser importance than the needs of the players, and therefore deserving of being ignored by them.

Without realizing it, the players have behaved uncivilly. The term fremdshämen comes to mind (a German word meaning to be embarrassed for the actions of others). Most likely the players had no intent to be uncivil. They are decent guys who have reasonable issues to present. We should respect them and listen to what they have to say. It should just be for another time.

It is odd that this whole thing resulted from some cameraman at a game panning over to this when he shouldn’t have. If only the camera had recognized that this was inappropriate and ignored it, like looking away from a mother being embarrassed by a misbehaving child in a supermarket. They were curious and so were we, but now we know better. It’s time to move on.

This issue really does not deserve the importance of being argued over. Out of respect to the players, it should be ignored. We should simply look away and pay attention to what is more appropriate for the time. This applies especially to the cameramen.

So it’s a malapropos. Look away. Don’t fret. PRESTON BROWN Little Rock