A group of elementary students had the honor of performing the national anthem on Safeco Field before the Seattle Mariners-Cleveland Indians game Sunday night.

But two students decided to grab the opportunity — on a national stage — to take a knee in protest as they performed.

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The age of political protest keeps getting lower and lower, and begs the questions: When a child protests, how much is a parent steering the activity?

And how much of the issue does the child even understand?

An elementary school child is typically between five and 10 years old, and is much more worried about whom to play with at recess and his or her upcoming science project than in making a political statement.

Parents who encourage this activity should ponder: How does taking a knee feel to a World War II veteran who may be watching the game from home? How do our active-duty servicemen and women feel about such a statement? How does anyone who is patriotic and loves this country feel about it?

One might surmise that seeing Americans take a knee is especially painful to veterans when the action comes from a child. But alas, today, to some parents, nothing is more important than protest.

“Pure reflection of the parents. No elementary student does that in their own,” commented @KAEpperson on Twitter — while @Big73rigger added, “Absolutely ridiculous. If people want to be treated equally, quit trying to stand out as different. Sense of entitlement is appalling.”

“Unfortunately, one of the more tragic symptoms of a hyper-politicized culture [right now] is that far too many parents, in their effort to forward their personal political ideologies, are now utilizing a new political pawn: their very own children,” Renodadsblog.com parenting writer Joshua Shinn opines. “And they believe, because of the righteous intent of whatever cause they espouse, this is an acceptable practice. It most certainly is not.”

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Children should be tasked with learning, growing, and playing — not taking a knee on national television and disrespecting whole swaths of Americans in the process.

Related: President Trump Wins the National Anthem Kneeling Debate

It isn’t fair to the child, and it certainly isn’t fair to the veterans and baseball fans trying to enjoy the anthem who have to watch it.

Let’s respect the flag. And let’s just play ball, America.

Deirdre Reilly is a writer and editor based in the Boston area, and a former parenting and family editor at LifeZette.

(photo credit, homepage and article images: …students took a knee… by Ryan S. Clark)

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