"The entire Cahokia Quarterback Club football team, which is made up of kids who are eight or even younger, took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem before their game last Sunday at Little Devil’s Field in Belleville, Ill. And they were encouraged to do so by their coach.
“One of the kids asked me if I saw (people) protesting and rioting in St. Louis. I said yes; I said, ‘Do you know why they are doing it?’” said Coach Orlando Gooden.Coach Gooden said his player responded, “Because black people are getting killed and nobody’s going to jail.”Gooden, who played football at Mizzou, said the kids knew about the Jason Stockley decision.“I felt like it was a good teaching moment for me to circle the team and have a meeting,” he said.
“You can bet that the men and women we honor today, and those who died that fateful morning 75 years ago, never took a knee and never failed to stand whenever they heard our national anthem being played.”
"The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Many of the veterans present stood despite visible difficulty."