Colin Kaepernick Controversy

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.

Malcolm Jenkins, safety for the Philadelphia Eagles, supported Kaepernick's message but said, "My grandfather served [in the military]. And this is a country that I love. So, me not standing for the national anthem isn't really going to get me the results that I want." Therefore, Athletes who refuse to stand for the national anthem should receive a consequence. For instance, they should get fined or possibly suspended for a few games.

A big controversial topic going around in the news over the past few weeks has been Colin Kaepernick and his stand to end the hardship for people of color and police brutality in the United States. This silent stand started early this preseason when a number of different events involving people of color and police officers around the United States not getting along. However, this has started to become more publicized as more and more people in the National Football League have been joining in with Colin Kaepernick and taking a knee or sitting during the national anthem. This stand has become way more than a simple silent stand as many people around the nation are starting to voice their opinions on this subject. Even though everyone argues their thoughts on this subject.

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers quarterback, started much controversy against America when he remained seated for the national anthem during a preseason game against the San Diego Chargers. Kaepernick seems to had developed an enmity against America. He feels that he and fellow African American athletes should not show patriotism to their country because of the unfair treatment their ancestors went through throughout history. Although Kaepernick does have a point about the racial discrimination colored people went through throughout American history, he still has no right to disrespect his country. Kaepernick himself is not black, he is white, but he is just drawing attention to himself.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. … There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has created much controversy in the nation over his latest protest. During a preseason football game Kaepernick was photographed sitting during the national anthem (McKirdy). When asked about the action later, Kaepernick explained, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” (Wyche). The nation exploded. Many showed their support for the quarterback, expressing pride in him for “standing up” for the things he believes in. Others displayed their anger with him for disrespecting the flag and all the things the flag represents. After seeing what a backlash his action received, Kaepernick decided to kneel instead of sitting, claiming that his new way of protesting would show more respect for those in the line of duty (Anthem uproar). Although he has the right to protest, sitting during the national anthem is the wrong way to draw attention to a specific cause.

“Civil Disobedience,” by Henry David Thoreau is similar to the point the NFL star Colin Kaepernick is trying to get across. Henry says at the end of his writing The Civil Disobedience “Let Every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it,” he is saying if people will start speaking up they will start to take notice what people is actually saying and wanting. NFL star Colin Kaepernick doing national anthem he will take a knee and not stand because of all the Black African Americans that's getting killed. Not just Black African American, but all the innocent that's getting served no justice. Both had spoke out against the governor and that's how Thoreau and Kaepernick are

Athletes should keep the sports and politics separated, they are totally two different subjects that shouldn’t be mixed. You shouldn’t protest during the national anthem because it is protesting America as a whole. There are many ways other than during the national anthem to protest. Protesting during the anthem can be come violent and lead to more violent and bigger

To begin, not standing for the National Anthem is an ineffective and counterproductive way to promote a cause. It’s not good to be a distraction to your team. Also using your football team as a platform for this kind of protest is not right. Not standing for the National Anthem may be a clear message for some. To others, however, it’s just another

Colin Kaepernick is a professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Keapernick ignited controversy when he chose to remain seated while his teammates were standing to the "Star Spangled Banner". His actions yelled that he was against patriotism. "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive after the game against Green Bay. " To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.

I believe that athletes should be required to stand during the national anthem. The way they are protesting is incorrect, not working, and extremely disrespectful. First off, the way they are protesting is incorrect for what they standing for. The protesters are trying to protest against black oppression, with the recent black shootings motivating them. Not standing for the national anthem is not the right way to protest this. The events of the shootings are local problems, not problems caused by the entire nation. This was stated well by NewsELA Pro/Con | National Anthem Debate, “There have been some tragic events lately involving black men and the police. America did not cause these tragedies, though. They occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina,

In America, the land of the free, people have been in quite the debate about if 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was being disrespectful towards this country by standing up for what he thought was right. In his very own words, Kaepernick stated that "...I've been blessed to be able to get this far and have the privilege of being in the NFL and making the kind of money I make and enjoy luxuries like that". This shows that he knows how privileged he is to be living his life like that, which he might not be able to do in a different country. However, Kaepernick also brings up that he "...can't look in the mirror and see other people dying in the street that should have the same opportunities that I've had and say, you know what, I can live with

Over two-hundred NFL athletes protest during the national anthem. In the article, “The Athlete as Agent of Change,” it states that athletes should not protest during the national anthem. Athletes should not kneel down during the national anthem because it means that they do not care about their country and the citizens fighting for it. This is the reasoning why the national anthem is so important to the citizens of america.

On Sunday, more than 100 people stood with their fists raised and knelt when the national anthem was played inside the stadium in a protest organized by Rev. Jamal H. Bryant and the Empowerment Temple AME Church. The pastor explained that they wanted to show solidarity with Kaepernick who sparked controversy last year for refusing to stand during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, The Baltimore Sun relayed.

According to Colin Kaepernick, "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder” (qtd. in Florio). In other words, police are not being held accountable for the many killings of innocent people. The police are being cruel; police are malicious people. Therefore, Kaepernick is going to protest until change come. This situation is vested to Kaepernick’s belief and values. People should be able to protest the pledge to show respect, to allow the freedom of religion and speech, and to not impose American ideals on others.