Two young girls exercising their rights @SafecoField ✊ pic.twitter.com/jOOYxnHoSM
— Louis Penna (@louispenna) April 1, 2018
While Colin Kaepernick celebrated elementary school students kneeling during the national anthem, many others see the political stance as too much too soon.
Free agent quarterback Kaepernick retweeted a photo of two Mount View Elementary School students kneeling as they sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” at a Seattle Mariners’ game in their home city on Sunday, April 1.
The move comes nearly two years after Kaepernick started sitting and then kneeling during the anthem as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
Here at Safeco Field where an elementary school sung the anthem and two students took a knee while performing. pic.twitter.com/HwHIsowsxN
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) April 1, 2018
While the youngsters had Kaepernick’s seal of approval, many others were concerned about kids wading into politics.
“They don’t know what they’re exercising,” someone said. “I’m guessing someone told them to do it.”
“THAT’s f—- up. That don’t even understand the big picture,” said another.
“And that will be the last time they are asked to participate,” someone tweeted.
“They are in ELEMENTARY school they have the rights THEIR PARENTS SAY THEY HAVE!” another fired off. “Stop encouraging children to disrespect authority!”
U.S. Army officer and opinion writer Jeremy Hunt told “Fox & Friends First” Tuesday that patriotism “must be safeguarded” and that children aren’t being taught patriotism but rather, “revisionist history” surrounding the “sins of our country” rather the “good things that we’ve done in our country.”
As for whether or not he agreed with this form of protest, Hunt says, “I think it’s a very poor form of protest.”
“I definitely wish there were a different way to do that other than disparaging the national anthem of our country,” he adds.
This after host Jillian Mele asked if there’s a point at which kids are “too young to know the meaning of their action.” She concluded the segment by saying Hunt offered “good words” on the topic.
