Dantonio supports MSU players who raised fists during anthem
EAST LANSING – Gabe Sherrod tweeted earlier in the week that it was “time to show support of the movement at the college level” after a shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, in turn, showed support for his players’ beliefs.
On Saturday, MSU graduate transfer Sherrod and two of his teammates – senior Delton Williams and true freshman Kenney Lyke – raised their fists during the national anthem before the Spartans’ game against Wisconsin at Spartan Stadium to bring awareness to racial inequality.
The gesture, which some NFL players have been doing, evokes memories of the protest Olympic runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos made on the medal stand at the 1968 Mexico City Games.
MSU did not make any of the three players available to the media following its 30-6 loss to the Badgers. Dantonio said he did not see what the three players did but also did not condemn them.
Three Michigan State players raise fists during national anthem
Here’s the 10th-year coach’s full statement:
“We talked about this three or four weeks ago, your patriotism, your faith are sort of the same thing,” Dantonio said to reporters. “That's it, that’s your choice, and it's influenced by what you’ve experienced in this world. And so whether someone salutes, puts a hand over their heart or does something else, everybody has a choice to make.
“We're in college, our young people are in college. And I can promise you one thing – that when the flag is presented in some respect, I guess it becomes much more important now. It's not just, ‘Oh, by the way, here is the Star Spangled Banner.’ I guess they have decisions that people have to make. And as long as it's done in a peaceful way, this is America. And that's what the flag stands for. It stands for that freedom to do what you need to do. And that's the beautiful thing about this country.
“At this point in time, when the true enemy comes, I guess we’ll all stand together. But I can't make assumptions for our players on what they've gone through in their lives. All I can do is try and lead them the best way I can and be positive and accepting to our football team and our players. And when we come together after the national anthem, we come together in solidarity.”