NASCAR owners won't condone anthem protests

Cartoon by A.F. Branco

Rick Moran

This issue is not going away and will probably explode during the pro basketball season coming this fall.  In a league that boasts 75% black players, anthem protests will no doubt be big news for months to come.

. . . "An "insular oddity in American sports culture"?  The "oddity" is the anthem protests, not the pushback against them.  And NASCAR TV broadcasts, although down in recent years, still outdraw other sports in several regions of the country, including the South.

"Legendary NASCAR owner Richard Petty summed up the opinion of several NASCAR teams:

"Anybody that don't stand up for the anthem oughta be out of the country. Period. What got 'em where they're at? The United States," Petty said in comments reported by the AP.

Richard Childress, a former drive[r] who owns Richard Childress Racing, said any protests from his team members would "get you a ride on a Greyhound bus." 

"Anybody that works for me should respect the country we live in. So many people gave their lives for it. This is America," Childress reportedly said.

The comments from the NASCAR owners come as NFL players took part in protests at games across the country after Trump slammed players who take a knee, rather than stand, during the national anthem." . . .

USA Today:  NASCAR owners side with Trump, take firm stance against anthem protests