Anthem And The Anthem

In 2017 controversy struck when the NFL tried “taking a stance” and protesting the National Anthem. In this protest, many NFL players one by one knelt down while the National Anthem played at their sporting event. The National Anthem is a song for our country and symbol to represent all of the men and women who have fought in our military. This song is not played just for our entertainment, it is to honor the flag and what it stands for. The protesting was started by Colin Kaepernick, last season, when he was the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. He was the first player to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem, now many other NFL players this season are following in his path and doing the same thing. Many players and viewers claim it is for police brutality and the injustice that is being served, while other viewers see it as entitled millionaires disrespecting the flag and the military. Everyone has different opinions on the issue, but no matter what the country needs to respect one another as humans and be united; the American Flag is a symbol of our freedom and the NFL needs to recognize the National Anthem rather than kneeling and disrespecting what it stands for.

First off, kneeling during the National Anthem is unpatriotic. This is the greatest country in the world. It gives everyone who comes here an opportunity in life, and the right to pursue a life of happiness. It is crazy to think Americas finest football players will still disrespect our Anthem. This problem has gotten so big that even our president has had strong words concerning the issue. President Trump has taken to twitter multiple times saying how unpatriotic it is. Also, how it should be illegal and players who are choosing to kneel should leave the NFL. With that being said, there are still NFL players who stand in support of the Anthem. Some coaches do not allow players to stand alone, like Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead these players they hide in the locker room during the Anthem. In my opinion,

Protesting in the National Football League has been going on, as some of the country’s most beloved and highly recognized athletes are seen disrespecting the United States of America on national TV every weekend. The players’ reason for the protesting is police brutality, you can see them kneeling, raising their fist in the air, or even sit in the locker room while the national anthem is being played. Although I do understand what they are trying to do, I believe that there definitely better ways to go about their protest. The protests started in 2016 when Colin Kaepernick, quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, took a knee during the national anthem. When question about his actions he responded by saying, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour”(Lake). While some people sided with Kaepernick most people took offense to his decision to kneel. In him doing this it has caused a league wide outbreak in protest; as players and sometimes even whole teams take a knee or show some type of protest during our country's anthem.

Athletes all over the U.S have made their decision and have taken a stance on what they believe is right. Colin Kaepernick, a football player who used to play for the San Francisco Forty-Niners back in 2016, has made headlines for kneeling during the national anthem. For him, kneeling during the anthem was a gesture of protesting police brutality and social injustice. Although many people claimed that Kaepernick was being anti-american, he was just practicing his first amendment rights. The New York Times has quoted Kaepernick during a post-game conference where he said,- “Once again, I’m not

“The protests during the national anthem started last season when former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner. Very few players protested the national anthem in Week 10 of the NFL season after the NFL Players Association asked all players to observe a two-minute moment of silence to honor veterans before Veterans Day.” First Paragraph.

This protest started in August of 2016 by an NFL football player named Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid. They both played for the San Francisco 49ers and protested by kneeling during the National Anthem. Everyone present was confused and shocked at why he is doing it. No one ever expected someone out of the blue to begin kneeling during the few moments of unity and paying respects for others. Colin Kaepernick was soon interviewed after the

Have you seen NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem? Well I have. And it’s not very cool. NFL players shouldn’t protestrest by kneeling during the National Anthem. Because they’re disrespecting our country, the players kneeling is causing viewers to boycott the NFL, and the players are a distraction to the other players.

It’s been hard to ignore the mixing of sports and politics lately. Some football players have been kneeling during the National Anthem instead of showing respect for the men and women in our armed forces. Although they’re trying to send a message to people all over the country, I think they are going about it all the wrong way. Football players should stand for the National Anthem no matter what.

In the past few months, discussion has risen within the nation over players kneeling during the national anthem at football games. The first to kneel was Colin Kaepernick back in 2016. He wanted to bring attention to the issue of police brutality against people of color throughout the United States. Opposers believe that Kaepernick, and other football players who have followed his lead, have disrespected

Players in the NFL must hate America, or at least that’s what some would say when talking about the issue of what players do during the national anthem. Early last year in 2016 a NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kapernick, decided to take a stand by sitting on the bench during the national anthem. His reason was to bring awareness to police brutality, specifically with African Americans, in the United States. As you know, most people stand during the national anthem to show respect for the flag, our country, and the people who fight for it. In realization of what it meant to sit during the national anthem, Colin Kapernick decided to make a compromise by kneeling instead of sitting. His point on awareness to police brutality was clear by kneeling, but it also shows more respect to the women and men in the military, than sitting. Many players, not just African American players, have followed this movement. NFL players have the right to peacefully protest in this form and should not be penalized. This movement is a peaceful protest to bring awareness to police brutality, a practical way to grab the attention of people, and is a movement spreading further than the NFL.

Kneeling for the national anthem is a legal form of protesting, which is a First Amendment right. Our forty-fourth president, Barack Obama stated that “Colin Kaepernick was exercising his constitutional right to make a statement. I think there’s a long history of sports figures doing so.” The First Amendment right helps the national anthem protest because it supports players to exercise their constitutional right. Not only NFL players kneel in protest, but people outside of football or any sports still kneel in protest. They are not on football fields or kneeling during the anthem. For example, Stevie Wonders has kneeled on his own time, on a stage and not during the anthem.

In the article “NFL anthem protests continue with raised fists, T-shirt slogans” provided by CNN, the author Eliott C. McLaughlin talks about how NFL players throughout the nation are coming together and taking a stand by kneeling, to peacefully protest the National Anthem.

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick, a 49ers quarterback, took a knee during the anthem. He did this to bring attention that there is an oppression of “black people and people of color.” He also adds that once “there’s significant change, and I feel that flag represent what it’s supposed to represent,” then he will stand. All of the players up to now wanted to bring attention to unjustified police shootings that ended up killing people because of their race. Kaepernick caused many people who were passive and didn’t know how to deal with this topic to take a knee during the anthem. He along with many people began to spread awareness that America has a racism problem that should’ve ended decades ago, but is only getting worse.

Most of the NFL athletes have no clue on what they are kneeling for, for example Collin Kaepernick was the first to start kneeling, then one after another others started following him and kneeling for the anthem not even knowing what they are protesting the flag for. In my eyes those are childish and disrespectful acts by players in the NFL in which can be fixed, or their contract can be terminated indefinetly. I can promise you that if you ask the players who kneel for the anthem why they are doing such an act, the majority of them wouldn’t be able to give you a relevant

All eyes during the National Anthem are on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and other NFL players who have joined him in sitting or kneeling during the anthem. Beginning August 14th, 2016 Kaepernick began sitting during the national anthem this preseason. A silent protest to show support for people of color, and to take a stand against police brutality. Many do not agree with his actions and believe what he did wasn’t simply unpatriotic,