The #TakeAKnee protesters are now spreading like a wild fire throughout the country. What started with Colin Kaepernick and a small handful of other National Football League players has become a movement across sports that is now bleeding into every aspect of our society. President Donald Trump reignited the debate when he defiantly proclaimed the NFL should fire these players, even going as far as using profanity to show his disdain toward the athletes. In response, players knelt or locked arms in solidarity.
While the story was found in all the teams who did protest, one major story was found in a player who didn’t.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced prior to this past Sunday’s game that the team would not take the field during the National Anthem. The purpose of this, according to the team, was to avoid playing politics and putting people on the spot.
One player who did take the field however was offensive tackle Alejandro Villaneuva, who came out of the tunnel just prior to the anthem beginning. Villaneuva is a former Army ranger who served several tours in Afghanistan.
While many opponents to the protests celebrated Villaneuva’s move, he has since backtracked on his stand and issued an apology.
In a recent press conference, he discussed the events that transpired. He noted that he did so out of respect. Given his service and what the symbols of our nation mean to him, the issue of what to do was a serious moral dilemma. But he ultimately decided to emerge from the tunnel and honor the flag during the National Anthem.
But he went on to explain that he inadvertently made his coach and teammates look bad. For that, he was sorry.
It is unclear at this time what events led to his apology. Clearly Villaneuva felt strong enough at the time to take the field for the National Anthem. Was he coerced or guilted by team leadership into publicly apologizing?
Furthermore, if the NFL is a place where patriots are put on the spot and humiliated for showing their love of country, should any of us be watching this perverse spectacle?
he didn’t make the team and coach look bad, they did!
Forced? Not really… He could have just said nothing but he felt guilty afterwards. He was better off having his yes be yes and his no be no
Steeler’s offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva is a TRUE American and should be a shining example to all the other disrespectful sports players playing sports today. And the fact that Black Lives Matter is furious at him for showing respect proves that the group is nothing but a political anti-American and racist group and should not be held in any way to be anything positive for Americans! And the fact that the rest of his team & coach look bad isn’t Villanueva’s fault…it was THEIR OWN decision to not be respectful that does it! And I’ll bet dollars to donuts the only reason he apologized was because he was getting heat from the team & coach for not “being a team member” and choosing to be DISrespectful like them! It’s the typical leftist excuse, if you don’t agree with us, you’re to blame for all the hate & discontent that we dish out, not US and OUR actions! Villanueva was right to do as he did and has absolutely NO reason to apologize for his pro-American viewpoints or values and respect!