The playing of the National Anthem is the time we focus on and show pride in and allegiance to our great country. It is demeaning to do otherwise, demeaning to use the national anthem to redirect focus to a political statement.

Not standing during the playing of the National Anthem has been used as a platform for political protest. Now the Seattle Seahawks have used the National Anthem to also make a political statement by standing arm in arm, sans hand over heart, during the playing of the national anthem. However well intended, the purpose was still to refocus attention to a political protest.

I applaud the team’s plan to meet with the mayor of Seattle and importantly to meet with the police and find out what it is like to be a policeman. Those forums, not the national anthem, are proper platforms for not just political statements, but also hopefully will seed action and change.

Stand up, put you’re hand over your heart as the National Anthem plays. While it plays, focus on pride in our country. Honor our war dead for their sacrifice and for our freedom as we strive to remove injustice.

Loyd D. Jacobs

Bellevue