Back in May 2018, President Donald Trump made controversial remarks about what NFL players should face for not standing during the national anthem. It goes without saying that his comments are rude, shameful, and completely out of line. Such judgment should hold no place in this country. (Emphasis on 'should' because it sadly does exist in our country.)

President Trump, there's nothing you can do about the national anthem protests.

You can rant all you want about how the players who don't stand should be released, or fired, or maybe deported from the country, or that standing in the locker room during the national anthem is just as disrespectful as kneeling when you're out on the field for the anthem, but your rant is very much off-base. Listen to this: more than 96% of NFL players are American citizens. American citizens have the unalienable right to be in the country. By definition, since it's an unalienable right, Mr. Trump, you CANNOT take that away from them. Don't even try to do it.

Consider Colin Kaepernick, a man who has been very vocal about racial inequality / police brutality / oppression of blacks and colored people. He is an American citizen, and you have been critical of him too. But you cannot legally force him to leave the country, even though Kaepernick is not currently employed by the NFL.

Every NFL player who is currently under contract has the right to be in the United States too, and that too cannot be taken away either. Regardless of where they're from, since they're under contract, they are employed by their respective NFL team. It doesn't matter whether they're an American citizen or if they're here under a special pass or Visa or work permit since they WORK for the National Football League. By their contracts, they are authorized to be in the United States until they are terminated.

Mr. President, you do not have the power to terminate their contracts. You are not their employer.

With the new anthem policies in place, it is up to the respective teams to decide what they want to do if someone kneels or 'protests' during the playing of the national anthem. Mr. Trump, please note that you are NOT the owner of any of the NFL teams, therefore you do not get to make the team policies regarding what punishment players get for kneeling or doing any kind of protest.

President Trump, do know too, that by saying that those who protest shouldn't be in the country, or that they should be fired, or that what they're doing is disrespectful, you are adding to the oppression of blacks and people of color.

You are adding to the problem.

But for men like Colin Kaepernick, or Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles, or anybody else who kneels for the anthem or stands in the locker room, nothing you do will stop them until you understand that they are doing nothing wrong.

There is nothing wrong with what the players have been demonstrating, those displays that are viewed as 'protests'. Whether it is a fist in the air, taking a knee, sitting down, putting a hand on the heart, or standing in the locker room, what they're doing is not disrespectful by any stretch of the imagination.

Think about those soldiers who have fallen for our country, and also think about the various ways they are honored. A fist symbolizes strength and courage; sitting down, standing up, and/or taking a knee symbolize reflection and/or thankfulness; a hand on the heart signifies appreciation. They're all done out of LOVE and RESPECT for the soldiers who fell for our country and continue to serve our country.

Mr. President, you cannot stop these NFL players from doing what they're doing, nor can you force them to leave the country. All of the NFL players are authorized to be in the country because they work in the country as athletes, and most of them are American citizens on top of that.

Being an American citizen is an unalienable right, and as a result, you cannot take away a citizen's right to be in the country. Since you are not in control of the NFL franchises, nor are you employing them to work for you, you cannot fire the NFL players nor order them to be terminated from their contracts. There is nothing you can do about it.