--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's important to realize that…" description: "\"I think it's important to realize that the players who are protesting aren't protesting the anthem. They're not protesting the flag. People kind of mov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/sean-doolittle-15057_flag_i-think-it-s-important-to-realize-that-t_2518903.jpg" --- # I think it's important to realize that the players who are… ![“I think it's important to realize that the players who are protesting aren't protesting the anthem. They're not protesting the flag. People kind of move the goalposts on them and try to tell them what they're protesting. But as they keep saying, that's not what they're protesting.” quote by Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/sean-doolittle-15057_flag_i-think-it-s-important-to-realize-that-t_2518903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/sean-doolittle-15057_flag_i-think-it-s-important-to-realize-that-t_2518903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/sean-doolittle-15057_flag_i-think-it-s-important-to-realize-that-t_2518903.jpg) > “I think it's important to realize that the players who are protesting aren't protesting the anthem. They're not protesting the flag. People kind of move the goalposts on them and try to tell them what they're protesting. But as they keep saying, that's not what they're protesting.” [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The protest is about systemic injustice, not symbols like the anthem or flag, and critics often mischaracterize the purpose. **In simple terms:** Protest targets inequality, not symbols. Key Takeaway Focus on the real issue. Themes justice protest misinterpretation Mood defiant reflective Type political social. When to use this quote - sports activism - college campuses - community meetings - social media debates Key Concepts systemic racism symbolic politics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What underlying issues are being highlighted? - How can we address misinterpretations? A Different Perspective Critics may argue symbols matter, but the core grievance is deeper. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthem Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthem-protesting-1230193/) [Flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag/) [Flag People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag-people-1230194/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Players Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/players-protesting-1230191/) [Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting/) [Protesting Anthem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting-anthem-1230190/) [Protesting Flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting-flag-1230192/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [Are we that self-centered to believe no one in the world is aware of racism right now? That, as athletes, we solve the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-bradley/are-we-that-self-centered-to-believe-no-one-in-the-world-is-aware-of/) [Avery Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-bradley/) > [I am proud that for the first time in the history of Afghanistan, I am raising the flag of such a people, who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nur-muhammad-taraki/i-am-proud-that-for-the-first-time-in-the-history-of-afghanistan-i-am/) [Nur Muhammad Taraki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nur-muhammad-taraki/) > [When you're running a company, you have employees - lots of them - that can interrupt your schedule. You have customers that can interrupt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/when-you-re-running-a-company-you-have-employees-lots-of-them-that/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [It's our country. I have a lot of pride in it and the flag and what that's about and all the people who fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-whitworth/it-s-our-country-i-have-a-lot-of-pride-in-it-and-the-flag-and-what/) [Andrew Whitworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-whitworth/) > [It's hard when the worst people in the country are cheering, the people with the confederate flag, the people that do anti-Semitism on Twitter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/it-s-hard-when-the-worst-people-in-the-country-are-cheering-the/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [What signifies protesting so against flattery when a person speaks well of one, it must either be true or false, you know if true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-signifies-protesting-so-against-flattery-when-a-person-speaks/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No music is going to stop the war. What's going to stop the war is a large amount of body bags, or a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/no-music-is-going-to-stop-the-war-what-s-going-to-stop-the-war-is-a/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [“It’s complete madness! There are cars on fire, shops being looted by teenagers, people rioting and protesting over something they have no control over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-medina/it-s-complete-madness-there-are-cars-on-fire-shops-being-looted-by/) [Jason Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-medina/) > [“Do not expect those the system has strategically elevated to support you in your fight to make the system work for every citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/do-not-expect-those-the-system-has-strategically-elevated-to-support/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [Arresting opposition leaders and restricting civil society will not stop people from protesting, but it can create leaderless movements that leave no one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/arresting-opposition-leaders-and-restricting-civil-society-will-not/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-dignity-of-truth-is-lost-with-much-protesting/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [My mother was an elementary school teacher for 35 years and taught at the Nixon School in New Jersey. I was raised as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/my-mother-was-an-elementary-school-teacher-for-35-years-and-taught-at/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Popular thought appeals to crowds, gatherings and tribes, who use it as a way to guide the herd. It is very evident in protests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/popular-thought-appeals-to-crowds-gatherings-and-tribes-who-use-it-as/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“To riot or not to riot, that is the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/to-riot-or-not-to-riot-that-is-the-question/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Sean Doolittle > [As a fan, Kirk Cousins has this very quiet, composed, confident demeanor that seems to be pretty even-keeled. We don't see him show a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/as-a-fan-kirk-cousins-has-this-very-quiet-composed-confident-demeanor/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [The old thought process is that you have to respect the game - right? - and act like you've been there before. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/the-old-thought-process-is-that-you-have-to-respect-the-game-right/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I played all sports growing up. Baseball was always my favorite, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-played-all-sports-growing-up-baseball-was-always-my-favorite-though/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [If you can get kids excited about reading, maybe that can open up a whole other world for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/if-you-can-get-kids-excited-about-reading-maybe-that-can-open-up-a/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I came from a military family, so there are a lot of things I think about when the anthem is playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-came-from-a-military-family-so-there-are-a-lot-of-things-i-think/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [In an All-Star game the players are having more fun than usual and showing their personalities more than usual. And there are guys in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/in-an-all-star-game-the-players-are-having-more-fun-than-usual-and/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [If you get mad at something that says 'Love Wins,' I don't know what to tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/if-you-get-mad-at-something-that-says-love-wins-i-don-t-know-what-to/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [To baseball players, our caps are sacred. We integrate our caps into our strange routines and superstitions, removing and replacing them on our heads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/to-baseball-players-our-caps-are-sacred-we-integrate-our-caps-into/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [People really respond when given an opportunity to take part in something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/people-really-respond-when-given-an-opportunity-to-take-part-in/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [If you're going to come to D.C. and it's your first time here, see the view from the bottom of the Washington Monument, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/if-you-re-going-to-come-to-d-c-and-it-s-your-first-time-here-see-the/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I'm not just an athlete doing something for likes on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-m-not-just-an-athlete-doing-something-for-likes-on-social-media/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [By the time I was in first grade, we had settled in New Jersey, and that's where I grew up, outside of Philadelphia, right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/by-the-time-i-was-in-first-grade-we-had-settled-in-new-jersey-and/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I just like showing people - and this might be at the root of everything that I've done - that I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-just-like-showing-people-and-this-might-be-at-the-root-of/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I feel like I've always believed what I believed. I've just become more vocal about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-feel-like-i-ve-always-believed-what-i-believed-i-ve-just-become/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [The pay in the minor leagues, I think it's terrible, it's disgusting, it's exploitative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/the-pay-in-the-minor-leagues-i-think-it-s-terrible-it-s-disgusting-it/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) [Explore all 44 Sean Doolittle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) ## More Flag quotes > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [Trump devotees don't care about shrinking the size and scope of government. They don't care about the Constitution. They're not Republicans, except as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/trump-devotees-don-t-care-about-shrinking-the-size-and-scope-of/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [“These days you don't need a country to have a flag, you don't need to win an election to become president, and you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/these-days-you-don-t-need-a-country-to-have-a-flag-you-don-t-need-to/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [South Carolina, as a matter of compromise, displays the Confederate flag on a flagpole in front of the state capitol. Because I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/south-carolina-as-a-matter-of-compromise-displays-the-confederate/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [To hold Old Glory, a symbol of freedom and liberty to many around the world, not just in the United States, this one means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-alvarez/to-hold-old-glory-a-symbol-of-freedom-and-liberty-to-many-around-the/) [Eddy Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-alvarez/) > [“...screaming about your rights as an American while rockin' the confederate flag is like arguing against gay marriage with a dick in your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/screaming-about-your-rights-as-an-american-while-rockin-the/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) > [Is burning an American flag a disgusting, reprehensible act? Yes, it absolutely is, and I would tell that to the face of absolutely anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/is-burning-an-american-flag-a-disgusting-reprehensible-act-yes-it/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“But not without help from the NASA Technical Services Division. A flag doesn’t fly without wind. The moon has no atmosphere to speak of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-not-without-help-from-the-nasa-technical-services-division-a-flag/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) [Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/) > [The flag represents all the values and the liberties Americans have and enjoy everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shuster/the-flag-represents-all-the-values-and-the-liberties-americans-have/) [Bill Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shuster/) > [“A son for a flag is a lot of sacrifice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/a-son-for-a-flag-is-a-lot-of-sacrifice/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [Yeah, I don't think I'm taking my shirt off to play flag football in the park with the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/yeah-i-don-t-think-i-m-taking-my-shirt-off-to-play-flag-football-in/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [ “\[The main road was\] now teeming with people carrying torches, pitchforks, and rakes, and one very confused man who apparently had mistaken the mob… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuthbert-soup/the-main-road-was-now-teeming-with-people-carrying-torches-pitchforks/) [Cuthbert Soup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuthbert-soup/) [Browse all 618 Flag quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's important to realize that the players who are protesting aren't protesting the anthem. 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