Leave the social justice to the pros.
A father and son who were part of an officiating crew assigned to work a New Jersey high school football game walked off the field in protest after members from one of the teams took a knee during the national anthem Friday night.
Ernie Lunardelli, the head linesman, said he and his son, Anthony, a line judge, stood on the field with their hands on their hearts while the anthem was played prior to Monroe’s home game against Colts Neck and that both left the field immediately after the anthem because they saw four Monroe players take a knee.
“Anybody that disrespects the flag, in my eyes, it’s not right,” said Ernie Lunardelli, a veteran scholastic football official in his 18th season. “What they are doing with this kneeling and everything, they have the right do to that, but the national anthem has nothing to do with them kneeling. The flag has got nothing to do with why they are protesting. If they want to protest, let them protest, but don’t disrespect our country, the flag and the armed forces.”
Anthony Lunardelli, who graduated from Monroe in 2008 and played football at the high school, said he perceived kneeling during the anthem as a sign of disrespect.
“They’ve got a right to protest and so do we,” Anthony Lunardelli said. “That (taking a knee during the anthem) is not how I was brought up, and that’s not how I was raised. I’m not criticizing their right. That’s just my viewpoint.”[…]
Ernie Lunardelli said two cadets (officials in training) who were assigned to work the chains replaced him and his son as part of a five-man crew, and that Beyer recruited two parents to work the chains. The game, which Colts Neck won 18-13, was completed without incident.
Ernie Lunardelli said that about 75 minutes before kickoff he and his son notified parties from both schools of their intention to walk off the field if any player took a knee during the anthem.