Athletes : The Right To Freedom Of Speech

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,

“Taking a knee during the National Anthem these days screams disrespect for our flag,our country and troops.” People are seeing the message that the players are trying to send as disrespectful for our country and troops.”My son and the entire armed forces deserve better than that.” In response,people who are against the kneeling for the National Anthem are going to try to protest in a peaceful manner by not watching the NFL games and not going to the games.The big issue is that the National Anthem has nothing to do with the inequality in our country nor is it raced based.The National Anthem stands for more than what some people are making it out to be. The players are unaware of the true meaning of the National Anthem.

Should NFL players be permitted to kneel at the national anthem? Some players that have defied team rules have been kicked off teams for kneeling. However, some advocate that this is a good way for the players to express their political views. Although these players are role models for kids of all ages, their actions imply that you can disrespect the flag, our American anthem, and our current military soldiers and veterans. NFL players should not be permitted to kneel at the national anthem because it is disrespecting our flag and military and violates team rules.

A big problem protesters like Colin Kaepernick and others are facing is that since they don’t participate in the National Anthem people think that they don’t like our country and are unpatriotic. For example Donald Trump and his aides took the situation into their own hands when calling out the protesters by saying, “protests are unpatriotic and disrespectful to the flag and those who have fought to protect the United States”(Tatum). After these comments players fire back by saying they’re exercising free speech by not participating in the National Anthem while standing with their hands over their hearts. Protesting is a

July 4, 1776 was the day America became its own country. 231,000 Americans fought for America’s independence in the American Revolution. The National Anthem was written in 1814, after the soldiers kept the flag standing during the bombs being dropped in the War of 1812. Every war or battle in American history has been for America’s freedom. Many people think that wearing hats during the National Anthem is rude and disrespectful to the soldiers who have fought or died for America’s freedom, but what about kneeling? Kneeling during the National Anthem is rude and disrespectful to the soldiers that have fought for America. The NFL players began kneeling last year during the National Anthem as a protest to police brutality against different races. President Trump spoke out against the kneeling and was accused of suppressing the NFL players natural right. President Trump is not suppressing the NFL players rights because no one has been fired and he has just as much a freedom of speech as any other man in the United States.

Banning players from kneeling during the national anthem, and firing those who do, is wrong. The fact that players aren’t allowed to peacefully and silently protest, violates their rights as American citizens. For hundreds of years protests have been used by people from all races and background to bring awareness to issues, whether it’s in support of or against; social injustice, employment issues, environmental issues, you name it, there has been at least 1 protest about it.

Sports, particularly football, has became a political debate in September. The author of the article, CNN Sophie Tatum, called “Athletes, activists spar on kneeling National Anthem protests”. She explained that President Donald Trump began to criticize players on his twitter account who would kneel during the national anthem to protest against police brutality. Sophie Tatum writes that Trump and his aides are arguing that the protests are unpatriotic and disrespectful to the flag. Trump also adds that it is disrespectful to the people who fought to protect our country. Although players argue that they are just exercising free speech. In the beginning of the article Sophie Tatum adds an interview, Spike Lee, who is speaking out for the players who take a knee. He defends the players that they are simply protesting against law enforcement and want to be heard on the issues at hand. Reading the title of the article before I read the rest and

Football players in the NFL are kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem to protest racial discrimination and police brutality; this can be stopped by reducing the football player’s pay, make kneeling during the National Anthem illegal, or try to end racial discrimination and police brutality in America. This protest was started by a quarterback from the San Francisco 49ers named Colin Kaepernick who said that he refused to honor a song or “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” (McLaughlin and Simon) Even though this is a peaceful protest, it is still unjust and very disrespectful. Not only is it disrespectful to the American Flag, it is highly disrespectful to the American troops that fought for this country.

In the news the NFL, Donald Trump, and the veterans are at crossroads with the American anthem and what it stands for. The NFL players decide to take a knee during the National Anthem which caused a big uproar across the United States. Our president has spoken out about the issue and made a harsh opinion on what the coaches should do with the players. Others such as, the police or men and women who were overseas protecting the United States find it disrespectful that NFL players taking a knee. Within the amendments, the first amendment is being used by the NFL players. The NFL players are using their rights to speak out against the National Anthem,

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.

Since the 1918 World Series the National Anthem has been played at sporting events. The anthem is a symbol for the soldiers who raised the flag after the horrors of cannon bombardment during the war of 1812. Some people seem to think that the anthem has no connection to a sporting event, others find the anthem to be discriminatory. During the anthem we’re asked to stand to remind ourselves of the sacrifice American’s have made for our freedoms. At a recent 49ers football game, Quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the National Anthem. While Tim Wendel (pro) and Merrill Matthews (con) decided to express their opinions in an article for the Tribune Company. Tim Wendel is for “Protests push all of us to face the dilemma of racial

If society was to take a look back time in the history of the United States, during World War II, it was stated, “The Supreme Court struck down such a demand for a flag salute during the Pledge of Allegiance” in which the supreme court reason was “the ruling gave strength to individual freedom of mind in preference to officially disciplined uniformity for which history indicates a disappointing and disastrous end” (Sachs and Zatz 1-2). By Supreme Court ruling this way, it gave the people the right to be individuals and be able to have the freedom of speech or to protest against the ways that society is doing wrong by its people. As stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievance” (First 1). So, as citizens of the United States, the sports players have rights to protest and exercising their freedom of

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.

Voltaire once said something along the lines of “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are privileges that American citizens have obtained. However, at times debates occur over whether or not these rights have been infringed upon. Controversy over whether or not NFL players should be required to stand and participate during the national anthem has recently developed. Personally, I do not agree with how the NFL players are protesting; however, they should be allowed to express themselves freely.