One doesn’t have to be Roman Catholic to recognize kneeling as a sign of submission. This gesture traces its history at least back to the medieval era, when vassals would kneel before their lord or king as a symbol of submission and loyalty. We no longer have a king, but we do have a Constitution.
When Colin Kaepernick and others take a knee, they are symbolizing submission and homage to the Constitution and the sentiments of the Declaration of Independence. It is, short of sacrificing your life, the ultimate demonstration of respect for the values the flag represents.
People need to read your Constitution and Declaration of Independence (you do have them in your shirt pocket, right?), then join America and take a knee.
If you can’t manage that, then maybe you don’t belong here.
Two knees for the never-ending, one knee for the nation.
John Henderson, Auburn
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less