September 27, 2018: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter to the Editor * Respect the flag
Letter to the Editor,
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Honor it!
Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke campaigning
for U.S. Senate was asked, “How do you feel about NFL players who take a knee
during the national anthem? Is it disrespectful to this country, to the flag,
to service members in Afghanistan, and those former service members, retirees
and veterans?”
He replied, “My short answer is no, I
don’t think it’s disrespectful.” A detailed discourse followed. He concluded
saying, “I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up, or
take a knee, for your rights, anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal
poll found a majority of voters say that it’s not appropriate for NFL players to
kneel during the national anthem.
O’Rourke’s comments supporting the
protests went viral, earning extensive social media shares and garnering praise
from Hollywood celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, who had him on her show, and
professional athletes most notably basketball superstar LeBron James.
Despite the national fanfare, O’Rourke
is out of step with the Texans who will actually decide the election, with the University
of Texas/Texas Tribune poll showing that football is popular in Texas but the
NFL isn't.
The national media is trying to make a
star of O’Rourke like they tried with Wendy Davis, the Democratic Texas state
senator who made national headlines in 2012 with a thirteen-hour-long filibuster to
block Senate Bill 5, which included a ban on abortion at 20 weeks,
recognizing that the state has a compelling interest to protect
fetuses from pain. The bill also mandated that a doctor who performs
abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and to require that
clinics meet the same standards as other surgical health-care facilities in the
state. Davis ran for governor of
Texas in 2014 but lost to Greg Abbott. She gained national attention which
shot her to fame in the world of Hollywood celebrities and coastal elites, but
in Texas she was a falling star that crashed and burned.
Don’t mess with Texas – Where we show respect
for our country by honoring our flag.
Marian
Casillas, Ed.D.
Del
Rio, Texas