‘The National Anthem is Not A Gospel Song’: Daughter of MLK Jr. on NFL Controversy

Amber C. Strong
10-01-2017

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WASHINGTON - The ongoing saga between President Trump and the NFL continued into a second week.

Taking to Twitter Saturday night the president said, “Very important that NFL players STAND tomorrow, and always, for the playing of our National Anthem. Respect our Flag and our Country!”

The president has spoken out against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem.

He went on to retweet this video of members of the military and has called the protests disrespectful to the flag and the military.

While many vets have spoken in support of the president, others have given their support to the NFL players, saying they fought for the right to kneel or stand.

The words #vetsforkaepernick were also trending on Twitter throughout the controversy and linked to members of the military supporting the player’s rights to kneel.

Now, the daughter of perhaps the nation’s most famous civil rights leader, has weighed in on the protests themselves. 

Bernice King, daughter of  Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. writes, “People didn't approve of the way my father protested injustice either; said he was causing trouble, called him an "outside agitator." #MLK

She went on to state, “Many who quote #MLK today, and use his words out of context to deter nonviolent protest, would have hated him openly then.”

King’s reflection may coincide with a statistic released by political pollster Frank Luntz.

According to Luntz, “ In 1961, 61% of Americans disapproved of the Freedom Riders riding desegregated buses into the segregated South. “

King said she lost 8,000 Facebook followers because of the posts but doubled down Sunday, urging Christians to take a different perspective. 

“Christ is not American. The Church is global. Our neighbors are all of humanity. The National Anthem is not a Gospel song,” King posted.

"The Church must pledge allegiance to Jesus; to demonstrating His love, compassion and willingness to sacrifice for the world," she encouraged. 

Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr also weighed in on the protests but offered a slightly different position, saying the cause is important but it is also important to respect the national anthem. 

“We need to step back, take a breather. That’s what taking the knee can help you do. My daddy A.D. King, my uncle Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960’s took the knee, however they were actually praying,” she explained to Fox News. 

“We do have to have respect for our flag for our anthem, and we really have to care about each other. Now the things that they want to protest for, I agree,” she said.

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About The Author

Amber C.
Strong

Amber Strong joined the CBN News team in Washington, D.C., in 2014 as a producer and field producer. Currently, she works as a correspondent, producer, and backup anchor for "The Brody File." Her beat includes national politics and The White House. And while she loves her current backyard of Washington, D.C., she’s a Hoosier girl at heart. Amber lives and breathes all things entertainment and politics and has had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in both industries, including late night host Jimmy Fallon and presidential contender Rick Santorum. However, her true love is
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