Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) praised an NFL player who has knelt during the pre-game playing of the national anthem for his community service.
Rubio said that while Miami Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills might take the knee while the anthem is played, “no NFL player does more community service” and people should “acknowledge the hours he gives voluntarily, on his day off, to serve fellow Americans.”
No @NFL player does more community service than @KStills of the @MiamiDolphins. You don’t have to agree with how or why he has chosen to exercise the 1st Amendment before every game to acknowledge the hours he gives voluntarily,on his day off,to serve his fellow Americans. https://t.co/3C7IL4sztP
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 12, 2018
Rubio was retweeting a message from Stills, who was promoting the fact that he and other members of his team spent time with wounded military warriors on Tuesday.
Stills and Alberta Wilson of the Dolphins both protested the playing of the national anthem on Monday night — an act that brought the approval of sidelined NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the kneeling protest in 2016 because of alleged police brutality. Kaepernick tweeted:
“My Brothers @kstills and @ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed!” Kaepernick wrote. “They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward!”
