Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran, defended NFL players who kneel during the national anthem after the league issued a new rule aimed at curbing the protests.
“One day, our nation’s flag will drape my coffin, just as it did my Dad’s and will my husband’s and brother’s. I will always stand on these legs for the flag and anthem, but it was ALSO my honor to defend people’s right to free speech including those who choose to #TakeAKnee to express outrage at the glaring disparity in how Americans of different races are treated,” Duckworth tweeted Friday, showing a picture of two prosthetic legs.
One day, our nation’s flag will drape my coffin, just as it did my Dad’s and will my husband’s and brother’s. I will always stand on these legs for the flag and anthem, but it was ALSO my honor to defend people’s right to free speech… pic.twitter.com/oYVARtH8o6
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) May 25, 2018
… including those who choose to #TakeAKnee to express outrage at the glaring disparity in how Americans of different races are treated
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) May 25, 2018
Duckworth, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, lost both her legs during the Iraq War.
The NFL on Wednesday announced new guidelines regarding the national anthem. Under the policy, teams will be fined if any player on the field does not stand during the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Players who do not want to stand for the anthem will have the option of remaining in the locker room until the performance ends. Each individual team can also implement its own rules for players who want to kneel during the national anthem.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first kneeled during the national anthem in 2016 in protest of racial inequality and police brutality.
