By Lucus Newman

ljn23@txstate.edu

Christian Castro, 21, Construction Science Junior

Are you aware of the NFL national anthem protest controversy?

"Yes I heard about it in the news"

How do you feel about the players kneeling?

"I think they could have gone about protesting in another way, by using another platform. I think it was inappropriate and they could have done it better, they could have used their words instead of kneeling to something with a bigger meaning like the national anthem."

How do you feel about the NFL's response?

"I think it was an appropriate action, players could use another way to voice their concerns like rallying outside games and doing organized protests, not protesting the national anthem on live TV."

What would be the solution to the issue?

"I think it goes back to the NFL players, they need to do much more than just kneeling. They could talk to their congressman or woman, they're NFL players they have a lot of opportunities to reach out to lawmakers and try to create change.

Oliver Holland, 21, Foreign Exchange Junior from Britain

Are you aware of the NFL national anthem protest controversy?

"I don't know much exactly but from what I've read about Collin Kaepernick it's about race"

How do you feel about the players kneeling?

"I don't know why they wouldn't let him kneel because so many people know him and just by doing one small protest he can start so many different discussions about the topic he wants people to talk about. I think it's a good thing, what he did. If they're doing it for the right reasons, trying to promote discussion about how black people should be defended more against unnecessarily police brutality it can only be a good thing. The protests themselves aren't hurting anyone, it's a peaceful protest so I don't see why anybody would try to stop it."

How do you feel about the NFL's response?

"It denies freedom of speech if they're being fined because they want to open up a discussion about certain topics, I think it denies his freedom to do that. The NFL would say they have the freedom to do it in the locker room but someone of his popularity, if he wanted to create discussion, which he has, he can't do that in a locker room. I think they're trying to silence him."

What would be the solution to the issue?

"I think fining someone because they want to make a point shouldn't be acceptable. I haven't really thought about it. If you're trying to silence something in the way that they have it will only grow. Theirs proof of that in prohibition, people still drank alcohol despite it being illegal. If people want to do it they will; as long as it isn't hurting someone I don't see why they should try to ban him kneeling or other people kneeling during the national anthem."

Brandon Bierman, 19, Undecided Freshman

Are you aware of the NFL national anthem protest controversy?

"Yes"

How do you feel about the players kneeling?

"I support the motive but not the way they went about doing it. I think the idea behind what they're doing is really good, I think they definitely have good motives, but I think if they're trying to make their country better, disrespecting their country is not a good way to go about it."

How do you feel about the NFL's response?

"The NFL is within it's rights to fine players, that's OK. I think it's a move in the right direction because respecting that national anthem and the country is really important."

What would be the solution to the issue?

"I think the NFL giving them the option of just staying in the locker rooms has the same effect of what they're doing without publicly disrespecting the national anthem. I think that's a really good option, honestly I don't know just because I'm not black I've never dealt with that issue, obviously I've seen it before it's all over the news, I'm pretty sure everyone has witnessed it, but having not experienced it my feeling probably aren't as strong as theirs."

Mitchell Al Manza, 23, General Studies Junior

Are you aware of the NFL national anthem protest controversy?

"Yes I am"

How do you feel about the players kneeling?

"I disagree with the players' protest, I think they have a right to kneel but I don't think he's doing anything. I think people are just rallying around a statement but not making any real progress."

How do you feel about the NFL's response?

"The NFL just did it to save face. The NFL is riding out the publicity, they just want to make money at the end of the day and attention makes money. They're saying they tried to stop it but they don't really care that much.

What would be the solution to the issue?

"The football players don't really care about the people. If Collin Kaepernick cared he would do actions outside the games, he could speak at schools or something like that. They're just trying to get attention in my opinion. If I was in charge of the NFL I would fire any player that kneeled."