Letter: Hit the NFL where it hurts most: the wallet

At the beginning of the Seahawks/Titans game on Sept. 24, both teams elected to remain in their locker rooms until after the national anthem.

I didn’t realize it until I had switched over from the other game I was watching, and my wife read a short blurb about it and read Pete Carroll’s statement.

I feel every player and coach has a right to speak out and/or protest about whatever the cause du jour is. When they choose to protest by not being present for, or kneeling during, the national anthem, that irritates me. They are causing an affront to our country, the very country that affords them the opportunity to make millions of dollars a year, and the country that I spent 7 1/2 years defending during the Vietnam War era.

So I voted with my wallet. I turned off the TV, took down the “12” flag I have flown for every game and went to Costco. My small protest may go unnoticed by the NFL, but if enough people who are offended put their principles ahead of their enjoyment of watching a bunch of spoiled millionaires play their sport, maybe the NFL and others will take notice.

This story was originally published October 9, 2017 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Letter: Hit the NFL where it hurts most: the wallet."