Utterly ridiculous! That’s how I feel about the NFL nonsense of taking a knee during the National Anthem. All of a sudden, everyone is offended by everything, even if it’s been around for a thousand years.
I do not like the words President Trump used about the situation but I do believe his heart was in the right place. He doesn’t know how to use tact when using Twitter and sometimes speaking but I do believe he loves America and does want to do the right thing. Someone needs to take his Twitter account away.
Yes, I know that the Constitution gives the NFL players the right to do what they are doing as it does the President to respond as he did. It also gives me the right to express my opinion here. Having “the right” doesn’t mean it something I have to do or that it is the “right” thing to do. There are a lot of rights which are actually wrong.
Someone said they would rather be embarrassed by his demeanor, manor and tone in making right decisions than having to be embarrassed and suffer the consequences of very wrong decisions. I agree with that statement, after having lived with results of a president who made wrong decisions with confidence but given accolades for statements that divided our country even further. One of those decisions was turning against Israel, God’s chosen people, so it’s no wonder our country is in turmoil.
The problem in our country did not start with Trump and if you want to blame it on him, you are very shortsighted and not paying attention to what has been going on the last 15 years or so. It’s a sickness, a plaque which was not brought on by Trump. It was brought on by our sin and slide into the sewer of the “me” attitude and anything goes and I can say whatever I want, when I want it and it doesn’t matter. It has come from taking God out of everything and turning our back on Him. Such actions and words do have consequences.
Players say they do not like the direction the country is going in and that’s one reason they are protesting; the other is President Trump on some fronts and others say the anthem is about slavery. The excuses are endless. The only thing the anthem is to me is about freedom and patriotism.  These players make enough money they can make a difference in other ways. I know some of them do but if they want to change the direction the country is going, they should get involved by running for office, or helping someone get elected.
I don’t care how they paint the picture to make their point, to me, it is disrespectful and unpatriotic to not stand during the national anthem.  If you disagree, I’m sorry. Too many lives have been lost in the service of our country, too much blood shed, to not express patriotism.
As long as people continue to watch, buy NFL paraphernalia and attend games, owners won’t care. So, if you feel adamant about it, you should stop supporting them.
It’s ironic that Tim Tebow was berated and criticized for taking a knee to thank God but it’s okay for players to take a knee during the National Anthem. Lord, help us. They make heroes of those players who carouse every night, get in trouble for hitting their significant others and all other things, but they vilified Tebow for his faith and pro-life stance. Yet, we continue to support those other players who won’t even stand for our national anthem. Now, Trump is being villinized because he has a problem with players taking a knee during the national anthem.
I’m on board with kneel at the cross but stand for the national anthem. Even God tells us to give Ceasar his due.
The Steelers actually had one player come out and stand for the National Anthem. He had served his country and saw first hand what that service means. Now, he is being chastised because they say he threw his teammates under the bus. The craziness never ends. Those players who want to take a knee need to visit the Vietnam Wall in Washington. They need to sit down with some Vietnam veterans and hear firsthand what it was like. They need to be transported to Normandy beach. And they need to get over themselves and quit trying to make everything about slavery or race. I’m not saying sometimes it isn’t about race, but most of the time not, but becomes so because someone wants to make it about that to draw the masses into hysteria. While mainstream media has overemphasized the NFL saga and they continue to harp on it, we don’t hear about the shooting at a church in Tennessee or how Texas and Florida are recovering from the hurricanes. Mainstream media can take credit for part of what’s wrong with our country today. They won’t but they are just as responsible as Trump’s ill-thought out tweets.
Everyone definitely needs to be on their knees but it is not to be in protest, but to pray to God to change their hearts. Money goes to people’s heads and hardens their hearts. They need to be on their knees thanking God that He has not doled out His justice yet to our country and that we are still a great country in spite of all the flaws. While our constitution grants liberty and justice for all, it is truly only God who provides those things for us. So instead of protesting, I suggest praying for our country. Show some respect the flag and our national anthem.
Have them go to those hurricane stricken areas and do some real humanitarian work. Or visit other deprived countries where clean water is something they would give their life for in some circumstances.
We’ve got to take pride in the country and take a stand sometime or the other for what’s right. Only thing is, what’s right in many’s eyes is now wrong. God is our only hope and prayer is a key. Pray without ceasing.

VICTORIA SIMMONS is an author, columnist, motivational speaker, minister and publisher of The Georgia Post/Byron Buzz. Contact her at: vsimmons54@gmail.com