NFL players defy Trump’s demands
What happened
President Donald Trump has opened another front in America’s deepening culture wars, repeatedly calling on NFL franchise owners to fire players who kneel during the national anthem as a form of political protest. Speaking at a rally in Huntsville, Ala., the president said last week that the handful of players who silently knelt during the anthem—a protest begun by quarterback Colin Kaepernick last season to highlight racial injustice and police treatment of black men—were displaying a “total disrespect of our heritage.” He said he wished owners would respond by saying, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! You’re fired.” Trump doubled down on his comments in a series of 18 tweets over the next four days, calling for a “boycott” of the NFL and criticizing players for abusing “the privilege” of earning millions for playing sports. He also withdrew an invitation to the White House for reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors, after star player Stephen Curry said his feelings about Trump made it unlikely he’d attend.
In response to Trump’s comments, more than 250 NFL players across the country knelt or sat for their pregame anthems, while others interlocked arms or remained in the locker room to show their support for free speech. Several owners joined the demonstrations of solidarity—some of which elicited boos from fans—with even New England Patriots chief Robert Kraft, a Trump donor and supporter, saying he was “deeply disappointed” by the president’s comments. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he was “proud” of how players, coaches, and owners responded to Trump’s “divisive rhetoric.”
What the editorials said
Trump is right on the core issue here, said NationalReview.com: “Of course football players should stand for the national anthem.” Yes, the players have a legitimate grievance over the treatment of African-Americans by police and the justice system. But the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is an “all too rare moment of civic comity”—a moment to display respect for a nation that “continues to be a force for liberty, decency, justice, peace, and prosperity.”