title:  Pence Joins Trump’s NFL Whinefest, Leaves Colts Game In A Huff Over Police Brutality Protests
text: People like to pretend that Mike Pence is the grown-up in the room compared to Donald Trump s brash childishness from the White House. However, he proved that wrong on Sunday, when he left the Indiana Colts football game because a few of the players on the team opposing the Colts chose to take a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality against black and brown Americans. Taking a leaf out of Trump s playbook, Pence tweeted:I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.  Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don't think it's too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem  Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017Just like Trump, Pence forgets the meaning of the First Amendment, and seems to think that his position gives him the right to try to bully owners, players, and ultimately the National Football League into following his orders. Further, it is worth noting that the Colts were playing the San Francisco 49ers, which is the former team of Colin Kaepernick, the man who started this protest before being blacklisted from the NFL for taking a stand against police brutality against people of color. Further, Pence and Trump admitted that they used the situation to divide the country and make some kind of point on the taxpayers  dime   because of course we paid for Pence to travel to that football game. For one thing, the press was kept in the van, in anticipation of Pence stirring the pot and then leaving:The media pool was kept in the vans ahead of the game instead of being led in with VPOTUS. https://t.co/NXIFZCp3fb  Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) October 8, 2017FLAG: Was Pence leaving Colts game a political stunt? Reporters were told to stay in van bc "there may be an early departure from the game."  Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) October 8, 2017Then, Trump  admitted to ordering Pence to leave if the 49ers took a knee, which of course everyone knew they would:I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017So, in short, this was all premeditated racial pot stirring. Unsurprising from Trump, but somewhat surprising from Pence, who has been trying very hard to keep up the idea of how OMFG #notracist! he is. Well, that s out the window now.Another white supremacist takes his hood off in the Trump Administration.Featured image via Justin Sullivan/Getty Images