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Miss Virginia Emili McPhail talks with reporters after winning the stage interview the second night of the preliminary competition at the Miss America contest. (AP Photo / Wayne Parry)
One day the NFL began its regular season – in a NBC telecast that included a Nike advertisement starring Colin Kaepernick – a Miss America candidate was questioned about the protests of players who rocked the league and drawn the wrath of President Trump.
The response provided Thursday by Miss Virginia Emili McPhail, in which she pointed out that the demonstrations were trying to draw attention to "police brutality", earned her a preliminary round victory in the category of questions on scene.
[Nike’s Colin Kaepernick ad airs during NFL season opener on NBC]
McPhail, 22, was questioned about the advice she would offer NFL players in terms of whether to stand or kneel during performances of the national anthem. "Kneeling during the national anthem is absolutely a right you have, to defend what you believe in and make the right decision that suits you," she replied (via the Atlantic press City).
"It is very important that we also consider the fact that it is not a question of kneeling: it is absolutely a matter of police brutality," continued McPhail.
After winning a $ 1,000 scholarship, McPhail was asked if she was concerned about a possible negative reaction to her remarks. The issue of player protests sparked controversy between the NFL and its supporters, and Trump frequently criticized the protests for rallying his base.
"I said that defending what you believe in is the most important thing you can do, and that's what I did," McPhail said. "I was very happy to have this moment, to be honest, because it's not always easy."
A graduate of Hollins University, McPhail won the Miss Virginia contest in June with an official platform entitled "Ending Hunger in the US", as well as piano talents. She is competing for the 2019 national crown in Atlantic City, where competitors are in the middle of three days of preliminary competition before the finals take place on Sunday.
[Brewer: The NFL is back. And it hasn’t learned a single thing.]
The question posed to McPhail reflects the continued interest in the protests, which, according to the players, are aimed at raising awareness of racial injustice, but have been criticized by some, including Trump, as unpatriotic and disrespectful of the military. The NFL attempted to impose a policy in May that would have prevented players from kneeling or sitting on sidelines during the anthem, while giving them the opportunity to remain in the locker room. the league and the players' union to reach an agreement acceptable to both parties.
The parties have not yet reached such an agreement, which means that the players were free to organize events before the preparatory matches and the opening of Thursday's season between the Eagles and Falcons. The only incident reported during the game in Philadelphia was when Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett, who had been sitting in the last two seasons while a member of the Seahawks, sat on the bench towards the end. a spectacle. anthem by Boyz II Men.
The Nike announcement has, to a certain extent, revived the debate on the protests by putting the weight of the sportswear giant behind Kaepernick, who was the first player to sit down, to sit down. kneeling during the anthem, but has not been able to hold onto a team since becoming a free agent in March 2017. "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything, "Kaepernick wrote recently, citing a slogan related to his involvement in the" Just Do It "campaign.
McPhail won Thursday in a newly installed category, as for the first time in the contest's 97-year history, she avoids a swimsuit contest. This significant change allowed Gretchen Carlson, winner of the 1989 contest who became a Fox News presenter before filing a sexual harassment complaint against former network president Roger Ailes, everyone associated with the news. ;event.
Carlson is also under fire from Miss America, Cara Mund, who accused Regina Hopper, the contest's CEO, of intimidating Mund. The organization responded in August (via NJ.com) claiming that Mund was guilty of "false accusations and numerous unsubstantiated accusations".
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