DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan – like everyone else in America today – is upset about the kneeling during the national anthem controversy. While he offers an opinion outside of his official capacity, he also offers a solution to the National Football League. Something Grogan calls "a way out of this [kneeling] mess:"
Protesting is very American. Free speech is foundational to our democracy. But how you protest matters.
Marching is good, blocking streets is bad. Shouting your point of view good, heckling your opponent during their speech bad. Writing letters to the editor good, sending letters with white powder bad. Boycotting good, burning businesses bad. So let me offer an alternative to disrespecting our national anthem (which I put in the bad category):
At the end of the game when the teams come together in the middle of the field, in victory and loss, have both teams get in a circle kneel and pray together for the victims of injustice. Do it before you don your sponsor's logo'd cap. Do it before you celebrate or mourn the game's outcome. Do it before you talk to the media marveling at or deriding your performance. Do it before the coverage cuts to a commercial.
You see, most people don't watch what occurs before the opening kickoff, but they do watch the final seconds of the game. That would provide more eyeballs for your cause. Before a game, teams stand apart, after a game you can show you have come together.
During the anthem, most people's attention is on the flag or the singer. At the end of the game it will be on the players.
Praying is a hopeful message. Kneeling during the anthem is viewed as hateful (my guess is you like Obama more than Trump, probably because you felt he was about hope and the other hate).
By occupying the end of the game as yours, kneeling in prayer together will bring more positive attention to the issues you care about and you can avoid disrespecting a symbol of this country that loves you and your right to free speech.
