I Would Gladly Kneel Beside Them

Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the freedom to assemble, to protest peacefully, and to take a knee to redress grievances if one so chooses, are precisely the kinds of freedoms I once took an oath to defend. (Illustration created by ChatGPT 4 using prompts written by Darren Phillips on May 20, 2025.)

I served in the U.S. military during the Gulf War. I never saw combat, but lost friends who did.

Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the freedom to assemble, to protest peacefully, and to take a knee to redress grievances if one so chooses, are precisely the kinds of freedoms I once took an oath to defend.

I am not the least bit offended by athletes taking a knee in silent protest of centuries-old injustices. In fact, I'm proud of these young men for their courage, and I would gladly kneel beside them.

Beyond that, any citizen, any man or woman in uniform, any legislator or U.S. president who seeks to abridge these freedoms is no friend of the republic, no friend of the U.S. Constitution, and no friend of the flag or the anthem or of liberty or justice or anything else that is good and decent about our nation. ☮︎

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer(s) or any other organization, group or individual.

Note: Image added in 2025.