Governor calls ETSU basketball kneeling protest unfortunate and disappointing
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee says the First Amendment is vital to Americans but he says the kneeling protest by the East Tennessee State University’s men’s basketball team last week in Chattanooga was not the time for the move.
He addressed the issue during a briefing at the capital in Nashville Wednesday.
“The National Anthem is a great opportunity for Americans to participate is something that is unifying. I think it’s deeply unfortunate and disappointing to take that moment to protest creates divisiveness in the midst of a time that ought to be unifying.”
More than two dozen Tennessee senators including military veterans Jon Lundberg and Rusty Crowe penned a letter to school presidents across Tennessee asking them to adopt policies that penalize players who kneel during the playing of the anthem.
The ACLU of Tennessee issued a statement earlier this week condemning the attack of state lawmakers using the media and their platform to try and censor students expressing themselves, adding their overtures to influence state schools to institute unconstitutional policy goes along with their usual power play of punishing those who disagree with them.
(IMAGE: WXBQ Archives)
