Dear NFL Players, Coaches, Sponsors, and Staff,                                                       

We are writing to you to voice our concerns about hearsay that the NFL will be allowing or supporting players who want to take a knee during the national anthem. We do not believe that the arena of professional football or the playing of the national anthem should be the stage to protest against social injustice and police brutality. We feel that the football field is a place to bring the nation together regardless of race, gender, beliefs, religion, or any other aspect of human life.

We also believe that the national anthem is a sacred song that was written, during a time of war, and was meant to unite the country during a period of time when there was also much division. The flag has always been a symbol that represents a nation’s pride and is designed with specific meanings for its colors and symbols. Red symbolizes bravery, white symbolizes purity, and blue represents perseverance justice and vigilance.

When every team member, coach, water person, referee, usher, stadium staff, owner, and even sponsor enter that stadium, they are reporting to their job. If someone were to begin a protest during their shift at Best Buy, for instance,  they may not have a job to return to. We acknowledge that protesting is our First Amendment right, yet we also understand many countries do not grant that same freedom, which is what makes our country unique. We feel that any place of business is not the platform to exercise our rights and protesting should be done outside of work.

With that in mind, we do not object to the act of kneeling as a way of expressing a person’s rights, but rather believe that this act, during the anthem, is disrespectful to our country and her service members. Who not only represent all walks of life, religions, races, and sexes, but are the very individuals who defend our right to do so.

If players want to say that kneeling is not about the flag or being disrespectful, to our servicemen and women it is. We talked to a sergeant who is currently serving full-time in the Army National Guard at a coronavirus testing sight. He and his service comrades risk their lives for not only one another, but for all of us regardless of their differences.

He told us that he and his service members have had the kneeling conversation many times. To quote him, “Personally, I do think it is disrespectful. Our national anthem is a song that embodies the beliefs of our nation and its people. It is a song that is meant to give Americans a sense of belonging and evokes patriotism. It reminds me of all the good that was done to better our country. The song reminds me to always be the best person I can for my fellow citizens. A good exercise would be to listen and read the lyrics and interpret them as to their figurative meaning. When the national anthem is played at games it gives all a chance to stand and be reminded that when we stand together, we can accomplish anything, defeat anything, all stand for a common belief. When people kneel, I feel that they wish to separate themselves from other Americans who may stand for the same beliefs they now kneel for.”

We are writing, proactively, in hopes of uniting rather than further dividing our nation. We feel that one of the sergeant’s favorite quotes, by a Native American warrior, would be appropriate here:

     “A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.”

                                 - Tecumseh

As previously stated, the anthem is meant to unite us rather than divide us, no matter what side we stand on. In order to achieve change, we should stand united in the pride for our country and instead of dissecting history, we should join together to make history.

We think that there are several alternatives to getting your point across and do understand that something should be done. We propose that if kneeling is not about the flag or disrespect, that you could kneel before or after the anthem, all in unity, regardless of race, age, position, team, or religious belief. This sends the same message without dividing us, while promoting our nation’s pride.   

Another idea would be for the NFL, as a united team, to develop a program that would service youth across America who are at greatest risk of said injustices. A program that could educate and foster youth in at risk communities where fathers may be absent. A unified effort on behalf of the entire league to role model and encourage perseverance, justice, and vigilance. While also seeking to educate all youth in every school; public, private, or charter, to value equality and  empathy.

We know that we are not famous football players, owners, coaches, or general managers, but as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” 

In the spirit of proactivity, however, we feel that if the NFL allows its players to kneel during the National Anthem, we want to let you know that our family, and many others like us, will not watch the National Football League; we will watch college football instead. We will no longer purchase any NFL merchandise or NFL endorsed products. Our family will drop NFL Sunday ticket, our fantasy league, and we will no longer attend any NFL games (whenever that returns).

We truly are a football family, as are many others we know and support this, and “Sunday Funday” is geared around NFL Sunday ticket, NFL endorsed products (right down to the paper goods), and live a life style surrounded by the NFL. This includes paid football camps, paid stadium tours, Super Bowl Experience tickets, buying NFL products for gifts, and our choices at the grocery store.

We want to reiterate that we are in support of the cause. We actually live our lives every day  with good social values in support of everyone in our community. We do not see in black and white. The causes we volunteer for and the charities we donate goods or money to have always been and will continue to be in alignment with equality.

We thank you for your time and hope that you consider our proposal; not in haste, but in harmony and peace.

Sincerely,

Gregg, Laurie, David, & Sydney

*Photo above is a U.S. Air Force Veteran