What’s Patriotism About? Our Values.

Last Friday, at a rally intended for supporting the candidacy of an Alabama Senator, Donald Trump attacked with crass language and called for the firing of NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to make a statement against racism, and its impact on minority Americans. One player, Colin Kaepernick, who is not playing this year, had started this in the summer of 2016. He first sat on the bench during the National Anthem, and later knelt instead, when a friend and former Green Beret told him that would be a more respectful form of protest.

At the time of Trump’s comments last week, the NFL players kneeling was a quiet and mostly unnoticed event; however, as Trump has done repeatedly, he picked a fight where one did not exist. He does this to divide Americans along racial and cultural lines, solidifying political base support and distracting from his corruption, scandals, and lack of political accomplishment.

Three ideas to consider:

• The Constitution protects our right to peaceful protest, professional athletes included, and the president’s role is not to shut it down or influence the firing of private citizens. In January, Trump tweeted, “Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views,” a basic statement consistent with the fundamental principles of democracy and inconsistent with Trump’s fight with the NFL. When torch-wielding neo-Nazis, the KKK and white supremacists marched down the streets of Charlottesville, Trump was quick to defend their right to protest and say that some of them were “very fine people”, a reaction that contrasts sharply the epithets and grievance-mongering aimed at the athletes and teams.
• The player protests respond to real racial divides and treatment. Despite progress for some, racism remains an issue for many. Agree or disagree with their form of protest, the players are seeking to use their platform to draw attention to an issue that many pro athletes from baseball star Jackie Robinson to basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabar have sought to address through their public exposure as well. The flag and anthem are such powerful symbols for our country, and what it stands for, that we’re reminded to honor their meaning by continuing to advance equality in America.
• Trump’s goal has little to do with patriotism. Trump is unlikely concerned about the flag or what it symbolizes. He cares about signaling patriotism while, in effect, dividing Americans along racial and cultural lines for his own political gain. We cannot allow him to appropriate national symbols that have come to reflect our foundational values for himself or for intolerant ideologies to which he has aligned nor to distract from his White House’s corruption, scandal and lack of policy accomplishment.

As with most crises, this moment of political division presents an opportunity: to appreciate the right of peaceful protest and renew our commitment to defend it; to recognize the real issues of racism in America; and to unite in defiance of leaders who seek to divide us.

Sincerely,
Evan McMullin & Mindy Finn