Ever since, then-San Francisco 49’ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem one year ago to protest systemic racism in America, the NFL has experienced widespread criticism, falling TV ratings, and large swaths of NFL crowds who booed Kaepernick at the first opportunity.
The one thing that did not happen was any form of counter-protest during the National Anthem by self-described patriotic Americans. But that has apparently changed.
The Cleveland police union will protest the national anthem in protest of national anthem protesters.
Under the thinking that you can’t protest a flag that doesn’t exist, the union said it will launch an upcoming counter-protest, in which they vow they won’t hold the American flag for a pregame ceremony during the Browns’ season opener Sept. 10.
Kaepernick’s protest on the opening weekend of the 2016 season has spread to other NFL teams. The police counter-protest was spurred by a dozen members of the Cleveland Browns taking a knee during the team’s pre-season game on August 21, including the first two white players to participate in the protest.
Darling of the Press
Meanwhile, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49’ers at the end of last season and remains unsigned for the season which begins on Thursday. The sports media has made Kaepernick – or his non-signing – a cause célèbre.
NFL owners, regardless of their individual political beliefs, are evidently wary of signing Kaepernick for fear of riling up their fans. What the sportswriters who have preached about the righteousness of Kaepernick’s cause fail to realize – or acknowledge – is that these owners are most concerned with 
the bottom line. They do not need the distraction of a high-profile player intent on expressing negative views of his own country while in their employ.
In an Intelligent Manner
Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs in NFL history and a longtime activist for racial justice himself, recently admonished Kaepernick: “Colin has to make up his mind, whether he’s truly an activist, or whether he’s a football player…I’m an American. I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I’m not gonna do anything against the flag and national anthem. I’m going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I’ll work out the problems, but I’ll do it in an intelligent manner.”
Kaepernick and like-minded NFL players would be wise to heed the advice of the great Jim Brown before more counter-protests like the one planned by Cleveland cops begin spreading as fast as the protest movement itself.
