Across the world there are a number of countries that punish citizens for voicing their opinions against leaders. For example Bahrain, one of the smallest nations in Asia, rules that anyone who publicly offends the kingdom’s monarch, flag or national emblem is looking at punishment of imprisonment for a period of no less than one year and no more than seven years.

It is similar for Turkey, where a person who defames the president of the republic shall be imprisoned for one to four years. A quick Google search found more than a dozen examples of countries that don’t allow free speech for citizens.

For us here in the United States of America life is not like that. We have been given the right to free speech and to peacefully assemble per the First Amendment to our US Constitution.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

This paragraph gives each and every citizen across our nation the right to their own religious views, the right to free speech, of the press, to peacefully assemble, voice their own opinions and petition the government for change. It also gives us the right to disagree with one another and/or our government if we so choose.

We are truly blessed to live in a country that offers these freedoms. These are freedoms that many service members past and present fought and fight to preserve. And many died fighting for these rights to continue.

However, almost daily we seem to drive a wedge further and further into the heart of our country. A wedge that is based on disagreeing with another’s view continues to divide citizens, families, communities and friendships.

And now, even our Sundays have become the center of national divisiveness. What was once a day where families could come together, share in religion, family events, football and get away from the daily grind of everyday life, has seen politics brought to the fore.

Those who watch NFL Football on Sunday know all too well what I’m talking about. Yes, players who are now finding it more and more important to kneel during the playing of our national anthem has taken center stage.

Prior to last Sunday, only a handful of players were taking a knee during the national anthem that is played prior to these games. But after the President of the United States shared his personal feelings that all players doing so should be fired, the number of players protesting increased to nearly half the league.

Rightfully so, many fans of the NFL have been outraged by this act and have shared their feelings across social media. Some have even threatened to stop supporting the billion-dollar industry.

As much as I do not agree with anyone taking a knee and disrespecting the very flag that gave them the right to choose and live the life of a professional athlete who makes millions of dollars, it is their right to peacefully assemble under the First Amendment of our Constitution. But, as it is the right of those players to voice their opinion by taking a knee, it is as much a right of fans to voice their displeasure by boycotting, if they feel it is important for them to do so.

However, as much as fans believe players should not disrespect the flag or the national anthem, is it not as equally wrong for a world leader to call for someone to lose their job because they voiced their own opinion? Isn’t that more like a dictatorship than a democratic government?

Unfortunately the real underlying issue will continue to go on and on with every reaction, statement of hate, posturing, grand standing and degrading of others, creating a deeper and greater divide across our nation. I pray that one day our citizens wake up to the fact that we don’t need a leader to fix this. It’s our country; we should be able to do it ourselves.

But until that day comes, I will be watching football on Sunday, because I look forward to it and enjoy my time doing so.

Rich Macke is publisher of The Port Arthur News. Contact him at rich.macke@panews.com.