SPORTS TEAMS PROTEST AFTER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S REMARKS

During Week 3 of the 2017 NFL season, many teams took a knee or showed signs of protest.

On Friday, Sept. 22 president Donald Trump held a rally in Alabama. According to BleacherReport.com, "President Donald Trump held a rally Friday night in Alabama ahead of the state's Sept. 26 primary election, and he didn't shy away from commenting on the NFL's television ratings and players who have decided to protest social injustice during the national anthem.

"NFL ratings are down massively," Trump said, according to CNN's Brian Stelter. "Now, the No. 1 reason happens to be that they like watching what's happening...with yours truly."

Speaking of anthem protesters, Trump asserted he would like to see owners take charge and cut those players from their respective teams: "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired.'"

With that statement, it started off a firestorm of reactions across the NFL. The prior week, only six players protested the national anthem, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In the NFL owners and management protested alongside their teams. Owners and teams locked arms or took a knee while the National Anthem was played.

Many teams also came out with releases supporting the protests and for standing up for what they believe in and what they think was the right thing to do.

Other sports teams also took notice.

On Saturday, Sept. 23, Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell, took a knee during the national anthem. According to Gabe Lacques, of USA TODAY Sports, Maxwell, who hinted at such an action earlier in the day, knelt during the national anthem before Saturday night's 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers.

Maxwell, a 26-year-old catcher from Alabama, composed several tweets Saturday in the wake of President Trump's comments Friday night to "fire the sons of bitches " in the NFL who kneeled for the anthem. Kaepernick's protest was conceived in the wake of social injustices and the shooting of unarmed African Americans by law enforcement.”

During the WNBA playoffs, on Sunday, Sept, 24 according to the Swish Appeal, “Expressing their solidarity with the nation, the Los Angeles Sparks were not present on the court during the national anthem prior to tip-off of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.

The Minnesota Lynx elected to be on the court and linked arms with one another.”

In my own thoughts, for the leader of our nation to come out and criticize a whole group of sports teams and calling them “Sons of Bitches” isn’t right on any level.

I think that people should be able to protest any injustices that they feel that they should be able to do. I also think when sports teams get involved in the protests it brings it to a whole new level. The reason is because athletes are looked up to as role models and when they band together and make a statement people with listen. How people respond to athletes taking a stand on the national platform will be shown on how they respond to different situations. 

As I have said before when I wrote about this issue last year, “The fight for justice will continue on and off the field/courts around the country.”

I also think what gave this motivation was that here you have the leader of our country coming out and calling a group of people, “Sons Of Bitches” has some really negative effects on the whole country.

Athletes are people also, they have feelings and they are active members of their communities and leaders as well. People look athletes and will continue to do that.

I know that high school teams from not only Minnesota but around the country have also taken notice. High school teams have “Taken a knee” before games across the state. Players and coaches have talked about this topic at length.

It will be interesting in seeing where these protests are headed and what forms and what teams are protesting and for how long now.

Just know I support what these teams are doing. #TAKEAKNEE