Time for a timeout

Unless your head has been in the sand for a couple of weeks, you most likely know about what has been happening in the NFL with the players and the National Anthem. And chances are, you have an opinion on the subject.

Most of the opinions have been anger against the football players who have taken a knee rather than stand for the Star Spangled Banner; hand over heart.

I also heard a couple people say that they are on the players’ side as in that is their personal right to protest the flag, America, inequalities, law enforcement or whatever it is they are actually protesting.

True, which is the great thing about America. You do have the right to protest what bothers you. Some have done it right and do it peacefully while others have decided protesting without destroying property is a waste of time.

As far as the players are concerned, I wish one of them would articulate exactly what they are protesting. Inequality is kind of a vague subject.

We can all complain that life isn’t fair. I know a few people that could have put athletic scholarship money to good use and actually received a degree in an important field. But since they weren’t fast enough, strong enough or could dunk, they had to work several jobs and go to night school or forgo college altogether.

I know people who were qualified to get a job for a good company but they didn’t know anybody with influence that could give that great letter of recommendation to get the boss’s attention in order to grant the person an interview. There are all types of types of examples of inequality.

People are very upset that by not standing for the National Anthem it shows disrespect for the military. Of course the answer is we don’t disrespect the military. It is bigger than that.

Many believe they are protesting law enforcement because of several shootings of minorities last year. Some believe racial profiling is an ever-present danger. But I haven’t seen these protesters show respect and grief for law enforcement officers that have been gunned down in the street by criminals even if the officer was a minority.

I have family members in the service. I have a niece that was one building away from where the Fort Hood shooter killed 13 and wounded 30 others in 2009.

I know a lot of law enforcement officers that put their lives on the line each day.

Are there bad apples in the military and law enforcement? Of course there are. But a vast majority are good people, raising families, doing their best to make the streets and the world safe for everyone.

Are all of the players in the NFL squeaky clean? Seems like there are a few of these players that have been arrested for such things as domestic violence, drug offenses, DUIs, and assault. Several others have spent time in prison for their offenses.

Do the kneeling players protest against their fellow brethren? Not hardly. It’s more like out of sight out of mind.

I agree there are problems in this country, but why aren’t the players doing more to help their communities in the offseason when they have more time to tackle some of these issues? Why wait until the season starts when people need to take their minds off politics and enjoy watching their favorite team play?

There are a lot of things that unite people and a vast majority of Americans are willing to wrap themselves up in the flag instead of watching football and guess what? That is there right to do so.

There has been a backlash to what is happening and the broadcasters have decided to not show the National Anthem and instead show a commercial. Again out of sight out of mind. But that isn’t the only answer to this problem.

On Sunday night in Las Vegas a lone gunmen killed close to 60 people and wounded 500 others in a sickening act of terror.

As people were leaving the concert trying to avoid the bullets, law enforcement moved in to help get people out of the venue and track down the shooter. You see, officers ran toward the bullets instead of away in order to help others in a most chaotic situation.

I hope by next week the NFL players will take a timeout from their protests to acknowledge what these people did for their fellow man. And maybe some Sunday you will see NFL players locked are in arm with members of the armed forces and law enforcement in a true sign of solidarity for all of America to witness. I can always hope.