Vice President Mike Pence made a strong statement while sending a signal to conservative supporters of the President on Sunday, October 8, when he exited Lucas Oil Stadium immediately after the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. Pence had apparently been urged to leave should anybody kneel during the ceremony, and he did just that, seeing a number of players on the San Francisco 49ers sideline descend to the ground with their hands on their hearts.
"I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen," President Trump tweeted upon receiving news that Pence had followed through with his request.
While some have been carrying the Colin Kaepernick initiated protests forward since the preseason, the league-wide demonstrations that were specifically galvanized by Trump's call for owners to cut players who do not stand during the National Anthem is now in its third week. And in addition to having enveloped the NFL, fans in Major League Baseball have seen the sports' first protester take a knee with Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics, and even the NHL just saw the movement represented thanks to Tampa Bay Lightning star J.T. Brown, more recently. Meanwhile, teams across the NBA have been linking arms during their preseason games as question looms over whether anyone will defy Commissioner Adam Silver's orders that everybody stands for the anthem.
Soon after splitting from the game Pence took to social media to explain his decision in a series of tweets. "I left today's Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem," he wrote. "At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us."
