Who Are The True Patriots?

All the debate about NFL players protesting as some players kneel during the National Anthem is pure folly. Protesting is a vital part of America's fabric. Let me say, unequivocally that those who protest in our nation are not unpatriotic. Perhaps those who wish to 'silence' protesters are the unpatriotic Americans. Oh, I am sure right at this moment some mental-thinking giants out there want to tell me something under the dumb heading, 'America: Love It or Leave it.' Well, I'm not about to do that anymore than those who supported the many wonderful character-building blocks of our democracy who protested at other critical times in America's history.

If you read history books instead of chewing on the covers, you'll recall reading about the 1770's protests called the American Revolution and the 1930's Labor Movement protests that gave your skilled and unskilled family laborers fair practices in the workplace. Your grandmothers and mothers of yesterday and your wife and daughters today enjoy equality rights and voting rights because of women protesters.

Slavery was abolished due to the protest movements in the mid-1800's. Of course, more protesters were required to end the horrible un-American practice of segregation and secure blacks' the right to vote with those much needed peaceful non-violent protests in 1955 and the late 1960's.

If a reader does not understand that protest is the backbone of our democracy they lack a fundamental knowledge of freedoms as the inalienable rights.

The aforementioned gives legs to the need for more protest, which will make our nation stronger and  maintain its moral authority. I truly believe that law officers, preachers, priests, school teachers and other professionals are wonderful callings.  For the most part those professionals are of the highest character and dignity. That said, those professions have bad people in their ranks. When those bad people do bad things protesters need to 'call it out!!' If the issues are addressed, a nation stands taller and good people in noble callings are protected and honored.

We need to stop the ugly dialogue and 'weed the garden.' That's all the protesters are protesting. It's not about a people honoring the flag it's about a nation honoring its creed as symbolized by that flag.

"Although poles apart ideological, they are both unashamed of their patriotism."
                                                                                                                            ...Christopher Hemphill