For those of you who are not football fans, many NFL players and coaches took a knee during the National Anthem on Sunday, and veterans, including myself, are ticked off.

While I understand and appreciate what the players are trying to do, having served my country, unlike most of them, I find the act to be disrespectful to those who fought and died for this country. I think it is reprehensible and actions should be taken by teams and the league to stop this disrespectful act.

Serving our country was an honor and a privilege. And I personally know brave men and women who have lost limbs, eyes, and their lives for us to have the freedoms we have, including free speech.

But this has gone too far. Some veterans groups and many individual veterans are planning to boycott the NFL until this practice ceases.

There are better ways to bring these issues to light, to involve others in the discussion and to move forward on them other than showing disrespect to the flag and the country this way. Take time after the games to engage fans, engage talk radio or talk shows and discuss these things. Get with a congressman and try to get the agenda they are trying to bring to light discussed. But to show blatant disrespect of the country and the flag has gone too far.

In interview after interview, players talk about respect. Respect my skills, respect my team. How about they all respect the country they live in and show respect to the people who died for her by standing at the National Anthem, hand over heart, and think about those things, and leave the social work to after the game?

One final thought. As a result of the NFL player's actions, high school players are now taking a knee as well.

Time to step up and realize this action is just wrong.

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