The revamped Miss America pageant—Miss America 2.0! No more bikinis! Women in leadership roles!— kicked off this week, and on Thursday, Emili McPhail, the contestant from Virginia, had a pretty good answer in response to a question about the ongoing player protests in the NFL.
Asked for what advice she’d give the NFL, McPhail had this to say, according to the Press of Atlantic City:
“Kneeling during the national anthem is absolutely a right that you have, to stand up for what you believe in, and to make the right decision that’s right for you. It’s very important that we also have to take into consideration that it is not about kneeling: It is absolutely about police brutality.”
Afterwards, McPhail explained that “standing up for what you believe in is the most important thing that you can do.”
Alright, Miss Virginia! I haven’t watched the pageant since I was in middle school, but I’m cheering for you. Please win and make educating racist idiots your platform.