Take a knee to the NFL!

Try as I might, I just can't keep my mouth shut about the NFL players that are taking a knee during the National Anthem before games.  On one hand I definitely don't agree with what they are kneeling for at all, but I'm not going to rant about that one in this post.  That flag that they are disrespecting, has given them the freedom to have their opinion and express that opinion.  Here's where I rant:


Source for photo and list of players

Players are expressing their own personal opinions on the job!!!  Yes that's right, they are in the employ of their NFL team.  Now I have lots of opinions, that I would love to share with people all the time, but sometimes, it's not appropriate. 

I worked as a Music Therapist in a nursing home where people were dying. There were so many times where I would be called to their bedsides to play music for them to sooth and calm them.  I personally, would have rather prayed with them or played hymns in their dying moments, but I couldn't.  So many times, I would have loved to share what Christ can do for them, and lead them to a personal relationship with Christ in their final moments, but that wasn't my job! That was my belief and opinion, and wasn't allowed to share that on company time.

When you are representing an employer, you have to represent them in a manner, becoming of the company.  In this case, those players, although they have an opinion about our country, are representing their team, the club, the NFL and our nation, and should be setting an example, becoming of an athlete.  If they show boat, or show unsportsmanlike behavior on the field, they are fined or even removed from the game.  This should also stand true of their own private, personal agendas!

In the next few weeks, I actually hope that the NFL and different team owners will take note and penalize these players who choose to show disrespect to others and our nation on the field!  How shameful that this is what is representing our country, and not the heroes that gave their lives to give us the freedom to have our own opinions.  I hope that sponsors, continue to drop their money to these players!  I hope that the fans will put their money where their mouths are, too.  Don't go to the games!  Don't buy merchandise!  Speak up to your teams and give them your opinions through your wallet!  Let's all take a knee to these players that are making the entire game look bad!!

Here's a list of the players that I know of so far that have kneeled and you should be "kneeling" for in your wallet:

• Colin Kaepernick - 49ers
• Brandon Marshall - Broncos
• Marcas Peters - Chiefs
• Arian Foster - Dolphins -  raised his arm
• The entire Seahawks team - locked arms in protest
• Martellus Bennett - Patriots
• Devin McCourty - Patriots

On a side note, I LOVE football!  I LOVE the game!  I have two sons that play, one on the college level, so this isn't a bash on football.  It's actually a plea for the NFL to clean up their acts and make this horrible image right!