Green Bay Press-Gazette

ALLOUEZ - NFL fans — and casual observers — have seen players take a knee in protest of unprovoked police violence against young black men. Whether one agrees or not with the players' method of protest, it is constitutionally protected. Reactionary right-wingers like to wave copies of the Bill of Rights, but are quick to deny First Amendment protection to protesting NFL players

This brouhaha started with Colin Kaepernick — former San Fransisco 49er quarterback. It seemed to me at the time that he was putting his NFL career in jeopardy — and he has. Today he's blacklisted by the NFL. History will judge his action to be courageous; he has certainly earned my respect. The Green Bay Packers badly need Kaepernick's elusive skill set, but have fallen in line with the top-down NFL structure.

I had no doubt the NFL would concoct some reactionary foolishness. And they have. It’s the "Salute to Service" campaign. It’s the silliest thing — NFL coaches and staff — donned in their Sunday best Elmer Fudd camouflage attire — ready to defend the nation from anything covered with fur or feathers.

What disturbs me is that we've become a nation of phony patriots and phony Christians. Right-wing political and evangelical bumper stickers and yard signs are the new metric of patriotism and faith. “Don’t tread on me” is the siren call of the fringe right. It is neither patriotic nor Christian.

My father and father-in-law courageously served in the WWII Pacific Theatre and would be sickened by these phonies, particularly the (Donald) Trumpsters.

Paul Bartlett