LOOK: This powerful image of Army veteran Alejandro Villanueva defines the day's anthem protests
Because we live in America, everyone has the right to express themselves on important issues as they see fit.
For some NFL players, that meant taking a knee during the national anthem on Sunday. For others, linking arms was the way to go.
The Pittsburgh Steelers decided as a team to skip the anthem as a form of protest. Army veteran Alejandro Villanueva, who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan and plays offensive line for the Steelers, wanted to support his teammates but also do what he felt was right for the anthem.
Therefore, in a powerful statement of compromise, he stood in the tunnel with his hand over his heart during the anthem — showing support for his teammates by not taking the field, but also doing what he felt was best during the anthem:
Alejandro Villanueva was the lone Steelers player to come out during the national anthem pic.twitter.com/Jl7id3EGnk
— SB Nation (@SBNation) September 24, 2017
As anthem protests continue around the NFL this weekend, it’ll be interesting to see what happens next.
Villanueva will certainly be asked about why he did what he did, and based on what we know about the talented lineman and Army veteran, his answer is sure to be a thoughtful and poignant one.
Alejandro Villanueva has my full and utter respect. The rest of the Steelers deserve a certain hand gesture. This kind of action by the Steelers should be interpreted as forfeiting the game. I respect one’s freedom of speech and protest, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with it, or watch it for that matter.
Until 2009 NFL teams didn’t come out of the locker rooms for the National Anthem. In 2009 the Army as part of their recruiting budget paid the NFL to make teams come out and stand in a display of fake nationalism in order to recruit more soldiers.
That’s a nice scene in a divided country.
Way to go, Alejandro. I know your fellow Rangers are proud of you and as a former member of the 10th Mountain Division like yourself, I would like to say “Climb to Glory”
As for the NFL, they have a lot of nerve to protest about social injustice. When a NFL player can get drunk, kill an innocent woman and not go to jail, that’s injustice. If I committed the same act, I would be in jail. If I withheld info on murders that my friends committed, I would be in jail, but not an NFL player. Tell me NFL, where is the justice in that? The NFL is a joke.
And then he said he was embarrassed after being pressured. Be Army Proud!