The president is the head of our country and addresses and solves issue within it. They are also in charge of running the country and yet, the current one is more obsessed with ranting on twitter and trying to fire football players for protesting, under the guise of it being “disrespect.”

Recently, it seems the president’s newest target is the all-american sport of football. Yes, football. But don’t get me wrong, he’s not criticizing the sport, but rather the players act of kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. Of course, to him it’s not protesting police brutality, but rather “disrespecting the national flag”.

However, real disrespect for the flag don’t include kneeling during the anthem. According to U.S.Flag.org, the flag shouldn’t be used as drapery or for covering a speaker’s desk. It also shouldn’t be used for advertising purposes and shouldn’t be embroidered or printed on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything that will be thrown away after temporary use. It also shouldn’t be used on any costumes or athletic apperal, expect as a patch on the uniforms of the “military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations”.

And yet, the president, along with those who agree with him, seem to lack comment for the millions of paper plates and napkins with the American flag on it made during the 4th of July, or the hundreds of advertisements featuring said flag on President’s day, and Labor day.

It’s clear by this point that kneeling isn’t a form of disrespect and it’s time that it’s seen as what is it. Protest for police brutality.  

It’s exercising their 1st amendment right to protest in a non-violent manner for a growing issue in this country. Police brutality is on the rise. 737 people have been killed by the police this year alone. Racial crimes have been on the rise.

It’s not something that should be ignored just because people find it uncomfortable or justified. This is not normal. Police are here to protect and yet people fear them instead of feeling safe.

This has been going on for far too long, and even with the ridiculous amount of incidents being spotted and recorded due to cell phones and cameras, it still doesn’t seem to be enough proof that something has to change.