ESPN's Howard Bryant Misses the Point on NFL Anthem Protests

In an opinion piece today (NFL Players Succumb to Protest Pressure), ESPN's Howard Bryant tries to shame NFL players for wimping out and giving up on their anthem protests because of fan opposition. He writes, "The players have clearly succumbed to the prolonged hostility to their cause and suffer a terribly absent sense of self." But, he badly misses the point.
Fans are not hostile to the players' "cause." Quite the contrary. Millions of NFL fans agree that racially motivated police brutality is wrong and we should all work to prevent it. But disrespecting our country is not the solution to the problem.
Fans object to the players protest METHOD. By kneeling for the anthem, players put fans in an impossible position. Fans could either support the players' cause OR respect their country. They couldn't do both. When forced to choose, most fans prioritized their country ahead of NFL players' cause le jour.
If they're smart, players will continue to pursue their cause, but abandon their misguided anthem protests. To make real progress, players should show the fans that they love our country and want our help making improvements. That's a solution that unites players and fans against bad cops, instead of pitting players against patriotic fans. #espn #howardbryant #IStand #PleaseStand

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