Out of respect for the country and the nation’s military, National Football Leagues (NFL) players should not protest during the national anthem at games, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday during a GOP House leadership press conference.
“Hey, look, people are clearly in their rights to express themselves how they see fit,” Ryan said. “My own view though is we shouldn’t do it on the anthem. The national anthem, our flag and the people who defend it and represent it — that should be celebrated everywhere and always.”
Ryan’s comments follow the escalation of the feud between President Donald Trump and the NFL after Trump repeatedly slammed players who refused to stand during the anthem in protest of racial inequality.
Ryan supports people’s constitutional right to protest, but feels that protesting can be done in a way that does not slight the people who defend the United States.
The protests started in 2016 when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the anthem. This act sparked a wave of controversy.
Trump has called on NFL coaches to fire players who take part in the protests.
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