Jordin Sparks stages silent protest with Bible verse etching at NFL game

Jordin Sparks made a statement with a pointed Bible verse written on her hand as she performed the national anthem at the Dallas Cowboys-Arizona Cardinals game on Monday night (25Sep17).
The former American Idol winner appeared to be showing her support for the NFL (National Football League) protests from the weekend, after U.S. president Donald Trump launched a thinly veiled attack on player Colin Kaepernick. who was dropped by the San Francisco 49ers in the midst of a backlash for kneeling during the American National Anthem at games last year (16), to protest discrimination against his fellow African-Americans.
Stars including John Legend, Stevie Wonder and Pharrell Williams have all spoken out in support of Kaepernick, and Jordin appeared to be doing the same with the verse reference “Prov 31: 8-9” penned on her left hand.
In the Bible, the verse reads: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Jordin has a link to the NFL in her family as well – her father is NFL veteran Phillippi Sparks.
Players in the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals’ teams all dropped to one knee before the National Anthem, before standing and locking arms to sing the tune.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has previously donated $1 million ($742,116) to Trump’s inauguration committee, also joined his players in solidarity, and told reporters in a press conference after the game: “Our players wanted to make a statement about unity and we wanted to make a statement about equality. They were very much aware that statement, when made or when attempted to be made in and a part of the recognition of our flag, can not only lead to criticism but also controversy.
“It was real easy for everybody in our organisation to see that the message of unity, the message of equality was getting, if you will, pushed aside or diminished by the controversy. We even had the circumstances that it was being made into a controversy.”