Portage Central Band Members Sat During The National Anthem
I was contacted by several people who attended last Friday’s Portage Central vs Battle Creek Central Football game. They were not happy with some of the Portage Central Band members who decided to use their platform to disrespect the United States of America by sitting during the National Anthem.
I was told by several people who attended the game that approximately 20 or so Portage Central High School Band members sat during the recorded playing of our countries National Anthem. I was also told by parents of band members that their children, who stood during the playing of the National Anthem, were not happy that their fellow band members were disrespecting our country. We can at least take comfort in the fact that most of their band members are respectful and grateful for the country they live in and stood during the National Anthem.
Where and who taught these teenagers to learn to disrespect the country they live in and have given them so much?
More importantly, who are the people pushing these young teenagers to get so deeply involved in the politics of hate and disrespect? These young minds can be easily manipulated and those that are attempting this manipulation are committing child abuse in my book. Let these children grow up without the seed of hate being planted in them by the left's political ideology who thrives on it.
Teenagers generally love music and their interpretation of the lyrics. Well how about a song from the band Green Day titled American Idiot:
Don't want to be an American idiot
One nation controlled by the media
Information age of hysteria
It's calling out to idiot America
Perhaps they should listen to the band Green Day and not turn into adults who are “controlled by the media” who may then turn into “idiot” Americans.
I emailed Eric Alburtus, Principal for Portage Central High School for his thoughts and had a very respectful conversation. In that email conversation he wrote:
"We did have one section of the band that was not focused during the national anthem. I used the word "focused" because we also had a number of young men on both football teams choose to kneel during the anthem. They were focused and intentional. We have a young band this year, and for many of the members this was their very first game. So when our band director noticed a group of about 20 of them still sitting during the anthem, she walked over to them, corrected their behavior and reinforced clear our expectations.
I did circle back to the parents who contacted me who had children in the band. I asked them if their children knew why these teenagers sat during the National Anthem and they informed me they sat for the typical political reasons of the Democratic Party.
Hopefully, these teenagers will learn one day why this country is so great and to respect the soldiers who served and died for what they have today. Protest all you want but please reconsider protesting during the National Anthem, when you kneel or sit during the National Anthem you are kneeling and sitting on the graves of the soldiers who died for your freedoms.
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