National anthem protests have not been quite as prominent of a story in NFL circles late in the season but one lawmaker from the state of Indiana might be helping to change that in an aggressive manner. Representative Milo Smith (a Republican from Columbus) is reportedly set to introduce a bill that would essentially provide customers of the Indianapolis Colts to request a refund on their ticket purchase if and when members of the Colts kneel during the anthem.
Justin L. Mack and Kaitlin L. Lange of the Indianapolis Star bring word from Smith, who is proposing the legislation in a way that would give fans an out during the first quarter of play.
"To me when they take a knee during the national anthem, it's not respecting the national anthem or our country. Our government isn't perfect, but it's still the best country in the world and I think we need to be respectful of it."
This is obviously a story with many layers, though one addressed in the story is that the idea for the bill would not provide the same protection should the opponent of the Colts choose to kneel.
It is important to note that the bill's passing is not imminent at this time but it is also hard to ignore that Vice President Mike Pence staged his now infamous walk-out at a Colts game earlier this season. Reactions will be interesting to gauge but, if this gains traction, the NFL's response will be particularly intriguing.
