The National Football League (NFL) recently decided to roll back its objection of players kneeling during the national anthem.

Now that the NFL has had a change of heart, teams continue to show support for causes that fight inequality and brutality but many fans don't agree with their methods.

Players in the recent Chiefs vs Houston game linked arms for a moment of silence for social justice but instead of stillness they were met with loud booing from the stands before fans gave a roaring rendition of their “Tomahawk chop,” a chant that has been deemed as racist and offensive by others.

The booed moment was captured by video cameras and shared throughout social media.

The media portrayed the recent actions of Kansas City fans as Philistines… what right-thinking person is opposed to equality for all people and ending racism.

Of course most fans are showing no respect for the media also.

Yes, the NFL is back for this new modified type of professional football season but the story reads ugly as the opening night of the season showed a 10-year low in ratings.

Some in the opinion field think there is a slice of viewers that do not tune in over a distaste for social justice demonstrations embedded in the games.

With minus ratings for Week 1 Fox led the plus side for football with a 7.14 percent rating because of the clearly considerable interest in Tom Brady's debut with the Buccaneers.

The 9/11 memorial has a good write-up on how sports in the weeks following the attacks brought us together and fostered healing.

It can be so again…but the major sports leagues need to check their politics at the stadium entrance and simply play the game.

Ed Townsend provides year around "Beyond The News" coverage in this column with his over 60-years of photojournalism analysis and insight. The column can also be read on his Web blog at http://bght.blogspot.com