Sportscaster Dale Hansen of Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA—whose excellent work we have shouted out before—offered a beautifully strong and clear defense of the national anthem protests on his segment tonight.




Hansen, a Vietnam veteran, takes down the idea that the protests disrespect the country or the military:

The young, black athletes are not disrespecting America or the military by taking a knee during the anthem. They are respecting the best thing about America. It’s a dog whistle to the racists among us to say otherwise. They, and all of us, should protest how black Americans are treated in this country. And if you don’t think white privilege is a fact, you don’t understand America.


You can watch in full here:

[WFAA]