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Former NFL players, actors and others are praising U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke's stance on NFL players choosing to kneel in protest during the national anthem.
A video by Now This News of O'Rourke explaining his position in response to a question at a town hall in Houston is going viral.
More:NFL players kneeling during national anthem becomes issue in Texas Senate race
O'Rourke is running for the U.S. Senate against Republican Ted Cruz, who blasted the El Paso Democrat over his position on the national anthem controversy.
“When Beto O’Rourke says he can’t think of anything more American (than players taking a knee), well I got to tell you, I can,” Cruz said to loud applause at a campaign event in Corpus Christi.
When asked about the controversy, O'Rourke compared the protests to the 1960s civil rights movement, saying that kneeling wasn't disrespectful and that there is frustration over the deaths of unarmed African Americans.
More:Ted Cruz vs. Beto O'Rourke: A campaign diary for Texas' Senate race
The O'Rourke video has been shared by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who initiated the protests.
The video has also been shared by former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, former NFL coach Tony Dungy, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, TV show host Ellen DeGeneres and others.
LeBron James applauded O'Rourke's remarks and called the video "A Must Watch!!!"
Seinfeld and VEEP Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus called O'Rourke's comments "perfectly articulated" and said she would vote for the Democrat if she could.
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox also offered positive feedback.
"Long time I haven't heard such strong, compelling message," he wrote. "This is it, this is what we need today in USA & the world."
More:Ted Cruz leads Beto O'Rourke by just 4 points in poll of Texas' U.S. Senate race
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