On Saturday afternoon Cleveland.com reported that the Cleveland Police Union will not be holding the American Flag in the Cleveland Browns opener according to Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Steve Loomis late on Friday night.
Cleveland Police Union members did plan on participating in holding the flag for the Browns opener until some Browns players decided to kneel during the National Anthem during a preseason game.
Steve Loomis had this to say on the situation of Cleveland Browns’ players kneeling during the National Anthem:
“The players not standing for the national anthem is offensive because of the sacrifices that people make that allows these guys to enjoy the success that they have. While they’re benefiting from protection of the flag they are kneeling in disrespect of it. The Browns management and ownership condoned this disrespectful activity of their employees. It’s just ignorant for someone to do that. It just defies logic to me. The fact that management was aware of what they planned on doing, that’s as offensive as it can get.”
Browns players decided to take a knee during the National Anthem before the game on August 21 against the New York Giants.
A spokesman for the Browns said the following during halftime of that game on August 21:
“As an organization, we have a profound respect for our country’s National Anthem, flag and the servicemen and servicewomen in the United States and abroad. We feel it’s important for our team to join in this great tradition and special moment of recognition, at the same time we also respect the great liberties afforded by our country, including the freedom of personal expression.”
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown had this to say before the Browns last preseason game against the Chicago Bears on August 31.
“Professionally, thoughtfully, probably as thoughtfully as any others have. These are guys that mean well. We really push our guys to be active and conscious about the communities they live in and what goes on around them that might be even larger than football. They do that, and we support them. We respect their efforts to use their platform to make some change and express themselves. And I think for all those guys that knelt initially and then last week decided to stand — I won’t get into why they made that decision — I think they are going about it in a very responsible and thoughtful way. I’m actually proud of them.”
Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia spoke to the HuffPost and stated that the police department is not boycotting the Cleveland Browns though and that the union does not speak for the rest of the department.
*Quotes from Cleveland.com*
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Larry Kinnard
September 2, 2017 at 4:19 pm
And yet how many players are holding their hands over their hearts? That is the same thing as taking a knee in prayer. That is what this article is lacking is the fact that the players were openly adamant about praying for the country and it’s well being. I’m sure people would be more accepting to hear that they were in prayer than just taking a knee. But what do I know, the shock and awe of the media is what sells, not the truth.