TAKING A STAND

Last weekend, President Trump tweeted his disagreement with the decision of football players to not stand during the national anthem, thus sparking a new level of controversy throughout the NFL.

FILED UNDER: PRESIDENT

Baseball has held the longstanding title of “America’s pastime,” but it can be argued that football has taken its place as a prominent cultural movement in the U.S.  Each week, millions of Americans tune in to watch their favorite teams compete, either by viewing them on TV or by attending a game in person.  However, in recent days, the football field has found itself at the center of a conflict that surpasses the usual team rivalry.

What began as one player choosing to express his dissatisfaction with issues in our country by sitting during the national anthem before games has now become a question of patriotism – and this has caught the president’s attention.  Last weekend, President Trump tweeted his disagreement with the decision of football players to not stand during the national anthem, thus sparking a new level of controversy throughout the NFL.

One side feels that it is a player’s right to free speech that allows them to sit or kneel during the national anthem, with some veterans even speaking up to confirm that this is a right they have fought for.  The other side believes that refusing to stand for the anthem is a blatant disrespect to the country and to those who protect our freedoms both overseas and here at home.  The bottom line is that America is facing issues that have the potential to deeply divide us.  What was once a game that allowed those with different backgrounds – racial, ethnic, political, social – to be united with one goal behind their team, has now been injected with a double-edged political blade.

This country has always thrived when has been united. This country needs to feel God's presence, and the best response for each of us is prayer.

Sources: Twitter, USA Today

As the Lord Leads, please pray:

• Pray that God will restore unity to our country
• Pray for compassion and empathy, and that both sides would be receptive to the concerns of the other
• Pray for wisdom for President Trump as he navigates his involvement in this difficult situation