It's not about the flag

The professional sports community is expressing a rejection of an individual, not our nation. One person, incapable of being part of any team, has chosen to attack people who have been team members for life.

Myopic vision is the vision of one. A bully is attempting to use our country to lash out at professional athletes. never being an acceptable member of a team renders one incapable of understanding a team's values. Teams are like family. Attack one and all are attacked … the attitude we want on our team.

Teams will not be intimidated by a trash talker. Trash talkers galvanize opposing teams so they focus on the goals. A trash talker is a cancer to team members, not accepted by the team and frequently energizes opponents to perform in a more unified manner. Trash talkers are frequently responsible for the losing effort by their team. Understanding the constitution and applying it appropriately is a requirement for a leader. Allowing a personal opinion (intimating it is law) and swinging it like a club is dangerous.

I am a military veteran and a retired D1 athlete. I proudly stand and sing the national anthem. No bully should be able to make me do it. If I don't want to, that should be my legal choice. Perhaps bigotry, racism and white supremacy deserve greater attention than a misrepresentation of a unifying statement made by professional athletes.

Alan P. Murdoch

Arlington Heights