Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to NFL: Drop anthem protests, focus on domestic violence
Jason SteinMADISON - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Monday urged NFL leaders to stamp out protests during the national anthem and focus instead on domestic violence.
In a letter to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL players union head DeMaurice Smith, the GOP governor urged the league and players to stop their silent protests during "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Those protests are aimed at raising awareness about the police use of force against unarmed African-Americans.
"My request is simple: stand for the American flag and the national anthem out of respect for those who risk their lives for our freedoms, and then take a stand against domestic violence to keep American families safe," Walker said. "That’s something we can all agree on, and that just might help the NFL reunite with many of its devoted fans."
The NFL has taken criticism both for the anthem protests and for the involvement of some players in prominent cases of domestic violence.
Green Bay Packers players like tight ends Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks and rookie cornerback Kevin King have sat on a bench while the national anthem was played.
Other players have linked arms during the anthem as a show of unity, including injured star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who said that this action isn't meant to show disrespect to the military.
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“This is about equality,” Rodgers said last month. “This is about unity and love and growing together as a society and starting a conversation around something that may be a little bit uncomfortable for people."
Then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick launched that anthem protest last season as a way to highlight those who were killed by police. Kaepernick, a Milwaukee native and free agent, has been mentioned by some commentators as a potential fill-in for Rodgers, who may miss the rest of the season with a broken collarbone.
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Debate over the protests has hit harder than a linebacker, drawing in everyone from President Donald Trump to rank-and-file Wisconsin lawmakers.
For instance, Assembly Minority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) tweeted last week that it would be "un-American" to force players to stand during the national anthem. Steineke faced pushback on Twitter from a fellow GOP lawmaker, Rep. Adam Jarchow (R-Balsam Lake), who called for firing the protesting players.
Some other Wisconsin leaders like Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan see the players' protest as positive for the nation.
“It’s a sign of love of country, a country with a promise that has to be for everyone, regardless of the color of their skin," Pocan said.
The NFL has also struggled with cases of domestic violence.
In the latest, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has gone to court to fight his suspension following an investigation that found the star player assaulted ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson three times in July 2016.
In 2014, then Baltimore Ravens running Ray Rice punched his then-fiancée in an elevator in Atlantic City.
State Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison) questioned why Walker hadn't spoken up about domestic violence cases like Rice's at the time they were revealed.
“It’s a shame Walker hasn’t ever spoken up when there’s been literal video evidence of brutal physical assaults or when a player has been repeatedly accused of sexual assault," Sargent said. "Dialogues about racism and domestic violence are not mutually exclusive, and we shouldn’t have to choose between tackling misogyny or domestic violence and systemic racism.”