It’s time for Nfl owners to seize this opportunity for greatness

By Kaia Wright
Guest Columnist

National Football League (NFL) owners recently converged on Atlanta, Georgia for its Spring League meeting. While several topics were on the agenda, none garnered as much attention and interest as the national anthem protests against racism; and while earlier speculation was that the national anthem conundrum would be resolved at this May meeting, more recent assessments are that the league may delay decision on the matter until the last possible moment, immediately before the 2018 regular season begins on September 6.

The New York Times broke the story last month regarding leaked audio from an October meeting on the protests which included players, owners, and league executives, and which revealed immense anxiety, cowardice, and fear of Donald Trump among owners. It is, frankly, astonishing that some of this country’s most savvy, successful business owners have been unable to resolve what is actually a facile problem. Allow me, a mere lawyer, veteran, and avid football fanatic, to offer the following solution which is fair, equitable, and addresses the core concerns expressed by owners:

Allow players to engage during the national anthem as they see fit. Whether a player stands for the national anthem is an individual decision and should not be abridged based upon the sensibilities of racist fans. Further, not standing during the anthem does not disrespect veterans, but instead embodies the ideals which, when upheld, make this country extraordinary.

Participation in the nationalistic ritual marked by the singing or playing of the national anthem is essentially a personal invitation extended to every citizen of this country. It is akin to attending a non-religious event in which attendees are invited to pray. The decision not to participate is an individual one that it is not anyone’s prerogative to even question, let alone either demand an explanation, or, worse, attempt to compel participation. Nevertheless, the absurdity of demands that players stand or explain their decisions—routinely heard among everyone from pundits, to sports radio callers, to the President of the United States—is perfectly clear when viewed in terms of similar demands made of one who declines to pray at an event.

National Football League owners repeatedly raise concerns regarding fan anger about the protests and the attenuated adverse effect on the team’s bottom line to justify their hand-wringing and lack of support for the protests; but this begs the question of which fans the NFL is referring to and most concerned about. Polls routinely reflect that views on the protests are divided along racial lines, with Blacks overwhelmingly in support, and whites overwhelmingly against; thus, the NFL, the wealthiest sports league in the world whose labor force is nearly 70 percent Black, prioritizes the sensibilities of its white fans who object to the protests over its Black fan base, many of whom themselves boycotted the NFL due to its failure to sign Colin Kaepernick.

Further, even if fans’ anger over protests did affect the NFL’s revenue due to reduced television ratings, a contention that is far from definitive, this would not absolve the NFL of its responsibility to stand by the principles of equality and respect for this nation’s rights and freedoms ostensibly afforded Blacks in America. White sports fans have an extensive history of apoplectic responses to Black athletes challenging the scourge of racism, whether it was in response to Jackie Robinson’s entry into Major League Baseball; the University of Wisconsin’s Black 14 protest of the Mormon church’s racist policies when playing Brigham Young University, which the church owned; or the players and teams responsible for the integration of college football. In each instance, the appropriate response was to stay the course of justice regardless of its effect on the racist fans who objected to respecting the humanity and dignity of Black athletes or the entity’s revenue stream; and such should be the course of action taken by NFL owners in response to players peacefully protesting systemic racism in America.

The final issue affecting owners’ actions is the allegation that failing to stand for the national anthem disrespects our nation’s veterans. This is the primary and most successful deflection and derailment tactic of those who object to the protests; but the argument is illogical. It must be conceded by even the staunchest of anti-protest proponents that a nation’s anthem and flag represent the entirety — 100 percent — of its citizenry. It must also be conceded that this is the primary representation of a nation’s flag and anthem. Veterans comprise approximately seven percent of the American population; and while there are some Americans, even many, who link the flag and anthem to the military, the fact of the matter is that this and any other connection, such as to police, civil servants, etc., must be subordinate or secondary to its primary representation. This, therefore, brings us back to the right of every citizen to engage in this anthem ritual in the manner most befitting them. Further, as veterans take an oath to support and defend the constitution, it is nonsensical to then declare that the actual exercise of these rights is disrespectful to this very group.

NFL owners have an opportunity to take firm control of the national anthem controversy by abandoning its heretofore decidedly milquetoast strategy, and instead take a page from the playbook of courageous sports executives of yore who boldly supported the rights and freedoms of Black athletes — regardless of the anger expressed by racist white fans or the immediate impact on their bottom line. Owners can, instead of creating another performative, ill-enforced initiative such as the Rooney Rule, launch a substantive program reflecting a dedication to addressing racial injustices; educating its fan base on the importance of respecting freedoms of all of this country’s citizens; and demonstrating commitment to equality by standing strong with the very individuals, including Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, whose labor and talent have so enriched the lives of the owners themselves, the NFL, and football fans the world over.

Kaia Wright is a retired Major from the Army’s JAG (Judge Advocacy General’s)core with two Bronze Star medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, and the NATO medal, Parachutist, Air Assault, and Pathfinder badge(the 1st female to earn this badge). She is now the Founder and Editor of Courage Under Fire, the nation’s only website dedicated to the national anthem protests against racism, at courage-under-fire.com. She may be reached via the website’s contact page or contact@courage-under-fire.com. Follow her and Courage Under Fire on Twitter @anthemprotest and Instagram @courage.under.fire.

This article originally published in the June 04, 2018 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.