This past weekend was filled with news concerning politics, sports and a mixing of the two. President Donald Trump made his opinion known in regards to athletes not participating in the National Anthem, both before and after numerous NFL players defied his wishes.

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In general, the outrage over the protests is larger than necessary. People love their American sport, but they also love patriotism. These two ideals butted heads as NFL fans watched their teams kneel, link arms or not come on the field at all.

This is once again a display of a protest that stands for something larger being discredited by a privileged majority. It was never just about the drinking fountains or being able to sit at the same counter. It is not about the National Anthem in the same way. Ethnic minorities are not treated equally to white people, whether that’s in politics, sports, music, employment, the list could goes on.

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The Beacon editorial board agrees that the athletes, as anyone else, have the right to protest. The fact that Trump and some Americans want to silence player’s right to protest shows how scared they are of dissenting opinions. When nationalism becomes more important than freedom to protest, there is a big issue.

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The argument that not standing for the National Anthem is disrespectful to people currently serving in the military and veterans is not valid. These people fought for democracy, which includes peaceful protest. Yes, the flag is a symbol of their sacrifices, but it also a symbol of democracy and the freedoms granted through the Constitution.

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Whether or not someone personally agrees with another person’s form of protest does not matter. The right to free speech is granted in the First Amendment of the Constitution. Trump should know that as a government official that he does not have the authority to tell people whether or not they should be protesting. Once again Trump has overstepped his boundary, displaying his ignorance and incompetence.

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Trump’s rhetoric, especially in light of his comments about Charlottesville, demonstrate that he doesn’t care about free speech. His failure to denounce white supremacy is bad enough, but Trump’s eagerness to call out people peacefully protesting shows his disregard for the responsibility of his position. Trump obviously is not concerned with protecting free speech: he is concerned with protecting those who agree with him.