More and more athletes throughout the country have knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did it. The gesture was first meant to bring attention to systemic problems that affect poor communities, but it has since become a strong and polarizing symbol. Some people think it’s a nonviolent manner to protest that the First Amendment protects, while others say it’s disrespectful to the American flag, the military, and the values they think it represents for.
The Monroe High School football team didn’t merely decide to kneel during the national anthem before their game on Friday night. They thought about it before they did it. The boys intended to use their small platform to raise awareness in their local community, just as Kaepernick and others who had taken a stand (or in this case, a knee). When the song started, the vibe in the arena changed. The whole team knelt down with their heads bowed. People in the crowd seemed both supportive, confused, and clearly uncomfortable. But the officials’ reaction was the most impressive, not the fans’.
Ernie Lunardelli, 54, and his son Anthony Lunardelli, 27, were the referees for the game that night. The father and son made their own decision as the players knelt, which instantly got people’s attention. They got off the field.
Later, Ernie claimed that kneeling during the anthem was really disrespectful to him and went against his beliefs. He said, “I really don’t like people who don’t respect our country, our flag, or our military.” “I don’t agree with them because the problems they’re protesting have nothing to do with the national anthem.” That’s why I decided to do something to speak out against their kneeling.
Ernie’s song means more to him than just a routine. It’s a holy time to remember the sacrifices made by duty members and be thankful for the freedoms the country gives. He considered that kneeling at that time was rude, no matter what the protesters meant. He said it wasn’t personal; it was a matter of philosophy.
He didn’t leave the field without thinking about it. Ernie said he knew what could happen, like getting in trouble and maybe losing his job. He did, however, say that he has the right to leave a situation he thinks is disrespectful, just like the players have the right to kneel.
His son Anthony agreed with the choice. He told his friends afterward that it wasn’t about making a scene. “It was about not being okay with being part of something that goes against what we believe in.”
The game went on with new officials, but what happened caused a lot of talk on social media and in the news. People had various thoughts. Some people congratulated the officials for sticking up for what they believed in, while others claimed they were wrong to quit and lie about the players.
What happened at Monroe High wasn’t just about football or the national anthem; it was part of a wider conversation going on all around the country. The players’ and referees’ silent protests were both means of indicating that they believed in the same country but from different angles. Both sides exercised their rights. Both of them thought they needed to do something. And they both got people in their neighborhood talking about it more.
At its core, the event was a painful reminder of how hard it can be to be patriotic. If you stand or kneel in a certain way, respecting your country can appear very different.
