It’s a no-brainer, right? If there’s no clause, amendment or article saying you have to, then you don’t have to, right? Obviously that’s not the case. If I choose not to salute the flag, where in the US Constitution does it say I must? Is there a test for citizenship in this country? If there is, I failed it. But it’s become abundantly clear that many millions of Americans are failing it too. What I fear more so is that Black NFL players will also fail their citizenship test in caving in to so-called President Donald Trump’s call out to the NFL to fire players who don’t stand for the National Anthem.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution protects one’s right to freedom of speech. So why are so-called “red-blooded Americans” echoing the white nationalist call demanding that players be punished for exercising their First Amendment right to speak - by not standing when that racist-assed song is played? The US Constitution does not demand that I do that. Even more, if I don’t stand - and take a knee - how does that harm you?

The bogus claim that not standing for the National Anthem “disrespects the troops” is so damned tired and overused that it’s comparable to fingernails scraping a chalkboard. Factually speaking, those who have fought and sacrificed as soldiers, sailors and airpersons did so to protect an American’s right to protest - or to partake of any of the rights enshrined in the US Constitution. Any reference to the troops is nothing more than a distraction and an attempt to draw another constituency into this debate that had no dog in the fight. Trump needs to gather more support for his untenable position. With him seeing himself in the Commander-in-Chief role, he’s simply enlisting military personnel once again. My hope is that they see that. Using them as pawns in Trump’s proxy war against the Blacks of America is a “divide-and-conquer” tactic that one should recognize from a football field away. Protesting injustice is in no way disrespectful.

What’s disrespectful is that white people ignore the lives of Black people in this country! What is disrespectful is that juries continue to acquit white people when they kill unarmed Black people in this country. What is disrespectful is that prosecutors across this country choose not to charge police officers when they shoot and kill unarmed (and in some cases, armed) Black people in this country. One must understand that that’s what taking a knee is about. Disrespecting the humanity of another human being is never respectable. From all appearances and occurrences, that is the objective of the Trump administration. That’s the illustrative culmination of “Take Our Country Back.”

It is indeed disheartening and disconcerting to see this “Take Our Country Back” movement grow from its re-rootment over the past decade. But, if history is any indicator of future events, it will lose steam - after the proponents of this position are cannibalized by its own leadership; it’s just a matter of time. The real question is: Do we have time?

Each day, week, month that goes by, we’re being attacked, violated and killed. The long-range objective to emasculate, denigrate and eventually exterminate Blacks - which begins with “Black Power” - from the “Great American Melting Pot” is paramount among whites. My greatest hope is, indeed, my message to the young Black men who play American professional sports: Don’t relent. The players unions must stand fiercely - unwavering - for its players. These young men (many of them millionaires) must stand united, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Defensive and fearful conservative intellectuals of this country know that’s an eventuality. That’s one reason the conspiratorial gains fought so hard to win elected office are so very consequential to those of us who seek a fair and equitable society. Jurisdictional gerrymandering, voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement are all tactical strategies toward appointing judges - ultimately, Supreme Court judges - that will rule in favor of the corporate class of this country. When the day comes that NFL players, more specifically, Colin Kaepernick makes his case of collusion before the Supreme Court, his chances are doomed, for conservatives have placed enough anti-humanity, anti-democratic, pro-corporate idealists on the bench that constitutional and democratic values will be crushed.

My hope is also that the cries (and I do mean cry, because Trump is the biggest baby E-VER!) to fire the players are ignored and eventually marginalized. So far, the players union - with players taking leadership roles - are working hard to convince owners that their best interests are in supporting the players. These men are probably the highest-paid “slaves” on any plantation. No, my intent is not to disparage them, nor discourage them, but to uplift them; they must realize that their acquiescence to a Trumpian call, shall be their death.

Whether one an activist, a politico or an ordinary citizen, people across this country are recognizing that attempts at “patriotizing” or worse, marginalizing NFL players is not only wrong, but is indeed, unconstitutional. If my grandson - who plays organized sports - choose to take a knee and not give deference to that racist-assed National Anthem, no coach, school administrator, nor so-called president better mess with him; because if they do, I’ll be on their ass! We were born into this God-forsaken country…and there shall be not test for me to a part of it.