Please stand: National anthem is one thing that should unite a divided nation

Were it not already clear prior to this weekend's events, the choice of professional athletes to protest during the national anthem remains a divided issue.

In a Goldsboro News-Argus poll that as of 8 p.m. Monday evening had garnered 135 votes, 50 percent of those polled sided with the players, while 40 percent backed President Donald Trump and his position made clear throughout the weekend via a speech in Alabama Friday and subsequent tweets.

Additionally, six people -- 4 percent of those polled -- said they sided with neither the players nor with the president, and 8 people, 6 percent of those polled, said they could see both sides of the issue.

It is the position of the News-Argus that this is and shall remain a conservative newspaper. And while the players have the right to do so by way of the NFL not having a policy against protesting during the anthem, the paper disagrees with the act. The NFL should act swiftly to implement such a policy or it will lose ratings and financial support.

Published in Editorials on September 25, 2017 10:00 PM