Ever since former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick initiated his protest against police brutality and racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem, his movement has gained momentum. Supporters of his cause have joined in, kneeling during the anthem to raise awareness of these issues. However, those who hold deep patriotic sentiments for the flag and take pride in the United States military view this form of protest as an affront to America.
Recently, the football team from Monroe High School decided to participate in Kaepernick’s protest. Prior to their game, many of the players knelt during the rendition of the national anthem. Yet, as soon as the players dropped to one knee during the Star-Spangled Banner, two referees at the game felt compelled to make their own statement.
They believed they could not stand idly by while high schoolers, in their view, disrespected America in this manner. Consequently, they walked off the field and resigned. The referees who staged this counter-protest were Ernie Lunardelli, aged 54, and Anthony Lunardelli, aged 27, both from New Jersey.
Ernie was deeply troubled by the sight of teenagers taking a knee in protest during the anthem. “I am strongly against anyone showing disrespect to our country, our flag, or our armed forces,” Ernie expressed, as reported by NJ.com. “Their protest has nothing to do with the national anthem, and I vehemently oppose it. So, I decided to make my own protest against their kneeling, and that’s what I did.”
Ernie finds it perplexing that these protests must occur during the anthem. He acknowledges everyone’s right to protest but questions why it must take place during the pregame ceremony when the focus should be on football. “My protest is against anyone disrespecting that flag and the national anthem. I don’t care if it’s a baby, an 80-year-old man, or anyone else. I don’t care about their race or color. It’s not how I was raised, and it angers me that people engage in such behavior.”
Ernie had foreseen that the high school football players might kneel during the game. Consequently, he had informed the league’s authorities that he would resign if any of the players knelt during a game he officiated. True to his word, when the students took a knee, Ernie and his son exited the field, as they had promised. Following the Lunardellis’ departure, two cadets were called in to replace them on the chain crew. Ernie believes that the game should not be considered official because of this substitution.
“That game should not be counted now because they did not have the right personnel on the field,” he asserted. “These kids weren’t officially trained and certified, so they are being put at risk. I won’t stand for that.” Ernie has already retained a lawyer to address the situation. “I have a lawyer ready because they won’t force me out of town,” Ernie declared firmly.