Monroe Green Beret, EMT Writes Viral Reaction To NFL Protests

MONROE, CT — A disgusted Vietnam War veteran from Monroe made national news when he took to Facebook to blast President Donald Trump for calling NFL players who take a knee during the national anthem "sons of b------" who should be fired.

"Want to respect the American flag?" former Green Beret Michael Sand wrote in Facebook post that went viral Sunday. "Then respect the ideals for which it stands. Bullying language and calling peaceful protesters “sons of b***hes” who should be fired aren’t among them."

By Tuesday, the post had been shared 140,303 times and received over 124,000 reactions. Sand told Patch over 160,000 people have "reacted" to his posts on two sites, and less than 100 of those reactions are angry.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first stirred up controversy in 2016 by taking a knee during the Start Spangled Banner in protest of police brutality. Since then, Kaepernick, who many NFL analysts say still has what it takes to play pro football, has remained an unsigned free agent. During the first two games of the NFL season, some players continued the silent protest in Kaepernick's stead.

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At a rally in Alabama, President Donald Trump addressed those protests by begging this question: "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a b***h off the field right now, out, he's fired?"

On Sunday, hundreds of NFL players responded by taking a knee, linking arms on the sideline or remaining in the locker room during the national anthem in response to the president's insistence that there should be punishment for what he considers "disgraceful" behavior by protesting players.

That struck a nerve with Sand, who says his military family has helped fight three regimes aiming to silence opposition and stifle free speech.

Sand's father stormed the beaches of Normandy, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate Nazi Germany. Sand, himself, served as a Green Beret medic during the Vietnam War. His son currently serves as an officer in the Army, and wears a Bronze Star after a year-long tour in Afghanistan.

"I was raised in a family that deeply believes in American democracy," Sand, who turns 64 in one week, told Patch. "I may or may not agree with someone's decision about free speech, but I will defend to the death their right to say it."

In his viral Facebook post, Sand, a volunteer emergency medical technician in Monroe, jabbed at Trump for getting a medical deferment to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, and the president's ridicule of Senator John McCain.

"Want to know what’s unpatriotic? Using your white privilege to avoid serving, citing “bone spurs in the heel” while playing varsity tennis at college while others went. Want to know what is antithetical to American values? Using the most powerful pulpit in the land to incite violence – against ANYONE. Want to define disgraceful behavior? Denigrating a man like Senator John McCain’s service and heroism while you sat home," Sand wrote.

The post received nearly 20,000 comments expressing various opinions. Many commenters lauded Sand's remarks and thanked him for his service, but some did not. Numerous retired military members commented in support of Sand's remarks, and thanked him for voicing what they could not.

Sand said most of the nearly 20,000 comments on his post were positive, and in support of NFL players' right to protest by taking a knee during the national anthem. A few conspiracy theorists posted comments accusing Sand of being a fraud.

"I won't thank you for your service, as I served also, and you of all people have not only approved of this illegal but in poor taste protest," read one of the comments, one that Sand was compelled to share with Patch. "And in a US uniform no less. Had you done this while still serving, your fellow soldiers would have shown you how much they don't appreciate it, and you would face disciplinary actions. I wonder if your father is proud of you"

While some vitriol and hatred came from the post, the overwhelming positivity reflects what Sand believes to be more representative of the public's views on the issue.

"205,000 folks left emojis; 116 are angry," wrote Sand in an e-mail Wednesday. "I can live with the trolls."

As the controversy rages on, Sand says he holds out hope all the shouting doesn't drown out the message his Facebook post intended to send to anyone threatening the right to free speech his family fought to defend.

"We need to make room in democracy for other's views," Sand said, "not seek to denigrate and insult those who hold opposing views.

Image courtesy of Michael Sand.