Packers’ Aaron Rodgers stirs pot with protest picture
By Mike Dyce
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers posted a picture to Instagram to stir the pot regarding protests on Wednesday.
The NFL saw widespread signs of unity and players kneeling or sitting during the national anthem. The uptick in players participating in a movement started by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was a result of Donald Trump’s comments about NFL players during a rally on Friday.
The country seems divided essentially into two sides, one that wants respect for the anthem and the other that sees it not as a sign of disrespect, but an opportunity to call attention to inequality in the country.
After Trump’s comments, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers posted a picture of himself kneeling with his wide receivers, a show of support.
On Wednesday, Rodgers posted a picture of his teammates with locked arm from Sunday’s game, their display of unity. But what’s notable is the accompanying caption.
“I can’t imagine what kind of social media attacks these cameramen must be enduring after taking a knee during the anthem and wearing a hat,” Rodgers wrote.
The cameramen working the broadcast of the game are kneeling during the anthem to get shots and also wearing hats. Obviously, they can’t take off their hats as they’re working to get specific shots.
But Rodgers is trying to illustrate a double-standard. Players are expected to stand for the national anthem, hand over heart to show respect to the country and flag. Meanwhile, other people doing their jobs aren’t being held to the same standards.
Some Americans would probably be fine with cameramen not getting down on their knees to get the shot either.