What do football games and Donald Trump have in common with each other?

A week ago, many people would have said absolutely nothing. Politics and sports do not normally share the same stage. However, with Trump’s criticisms of the NFL protesters, it is all that has been making headlines.

Rewind to a year ago, to when this whole controversy started. Colin Kaepernick would not stand for the playing of the national anthem. He felt that police brutality towards minorities should no longer be tolerated.

Now, fans have not heard of him being signed to a team. Speculations have been aroused as one question fills fans’ minds: Was Kaepernick fired so that the NFL could be rid of controversy?

Even if that was the case, it surely backfired. Now, more than 200 players have knelt, sat, raised their fists, or have even just not come to the pitch for the national anthem.

Still, what does this have to do with President Donald Trump?

President Trump has been very vocal concerning details of this protest. He believes that protesters should be fired and yanked off of the field for protesting the national anthem. At one point, Trump even went to insulting the players’ mothers and called out NFL owners for not pulling the players from the game.

Some players have been very vocal about the things said by Trump. One of these players was Richard Sherman.

“The behavior of the President is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. If you do not Condemn this divisive Rhetoric you are Condoning it!” said Sherman.

Students at Holt have been split about this debate. Some students are for it, feeling that it is a just way to protest. Others are against it, saying that it is disrespectful.

“I think the football players shouldn’t be fired, even if it is disrespectful,” said Maddy Spellmeyer (‘20).

 There are some people just at Holt who are taking part in this protest to some extent. There have been a few individuals who no longer stand and say the pledge

“With everyone not caring about what it means I don’t feel like it’s worth standing for,” said Dominic Stringer (’18).

Even though it is a very controversial debate, we are still one nation.