The roofers were working hard. But when the anthem played in the distance, they stood

As debate over the acceptability of protests during the national anthem rages on, one image of roofers interrupting their labor to stand for the patriotic song has spread quickly online.

The image, originally shared by Michelle Lyons Cossar on Facebook, shows three men standing on top of a house with their hands on their hearts and their attention fixed squarely ahead.

That’s because, Cossar writes, The Star-Spangled Banner was playing at a nearby football game at Old Town Waterville High School.

The men wanted to pay their respects to the flag and the country, she wrote.

“Standing for the National Anthem at the Old Town Waterville football game today and from behind the stands we hear, 'Hey, look! They aren't kneeling’,” she wrote. “When I turn to see who said it, this is what I saw...three men roofing a house and respecting the flag.”

According to Fox News, Cossar was standing for the anthem at the beginning of the football game when someone next to her noticed the three men standing at attention.

That’s when she snapped the viral photo, which garnered nearly 1,000 shares by Tuesday at noon.

“When I looked over the fence, I saw them standing and respecting the flag,” said Cossar, who identified the men as Dwayne Harrison, Danny Thyng and James Scruggs. “I just thought the world could use a little more of that right now.”

On a Facebook post, WMTW reporter David Charns shared his interview with Shanon Gurski Dixon, who was at the game and witnessed the actions of the men.

At first, Dixon said, no one knew who the men were — but everyone wanted to find out.

So they shared the image on Facebook and Twitter, eventually finding out their names and the company they work for.

"They had no idea anyone even noticed but our community did,” Dixon told the WMTW reporter. “Several people had taken pictures of this patriotic act of kindness.

“It turns out they were doing independent work that day, but they are roofers by trade and all work together for a company out of Oakland Maine. Our little city would love to have them recognized!”

And recognized they are — in addition to Cossar’s post, Charn’s Facebook post has amassed 3,000 shares so far.

The image has gone viral at a time when the national anthem is becoming increasingly politicized.

President Donald Trump called NFL players who refuse to stand for the anthem “sons of b------” who disrespect the country and its soldiers. That comment prompted over 200 players to kneel later that week in protest of racial injustice and, more specifically, the incendiary comments, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence walked out on a game between the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers after some players knelt during the song.

It’s an issue that divides the nation, with a CNN poll finding 49 percent of Americans saying the players are protesting the wrong way when kneeling during the anthem. Forty-three percent said it is the right way to protest, CNN found.

Some on Cossar’s Facebook post, like Emily Munson, argued that it’s not offensive to kneel during the anthem.

“You all do realize kneeling IS a sign of respect, right? Kneeling is about protesting INJUSTICE,” she wrote. “It literally has nothing to do with disrespecting the flag or anthem. … It's about kneeling for a country that's been injured by racism; It's kneeling to show respect for the fallen victims of racism.”

In response to Munson, Alice Cossar Haley Volking wrote the players should protest some other time, and not during the anthem.

“IF these overpaid NFL players want to PROTEST racial injustice they can do that anytime EXCEPT when they need to honor the flag and our heroes that have died for their freedoms,” she argued. “Arms raised and fist pumps, kneeling, etc., IN MY OPINION, should not be done during our national anthem. They have enough money that they can have a PEACEFUL protest anytime they want.”

This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 9:00 AM with the headline "The roofers were working hard. But when the anthem played in the distance, they stood."