In The Land Of The Free By Kaleem

It was upon these concepts of liberty, justice for all, and equality that became the foundation of America and its government. Many citizens claim that these ideals are still believed in and upheld today, yet the black NFL football players who kneeled during the national anthem at a game believe otherwise. According to Bretherton, the black players such as Kaepernick and Reid kneeled to “raise the question of why citizens of color, despite the promise of equality, still live (and die) as lesser Americans” (Bretheron 2). The players took a knee in order to raise awareness and bring attention to the discrimination colored citizens of America are facing today, such as police brutality. Although the players kneeled to invite the people of America to enter with them in a new, deeper kind of a relationship, where all are given mutual respect, the public misunderstood this act of courage as an act of disrespect and incivility towards America. These people, including President Trump, claim that the players are “disrespecting ‘our country, our flag [and] our national anthem” (Bretherton 1). The dilemma, thus, is that our

In August of 2016, Kaepernick began his protest during a NFL preseason game where he initially sat during the singing of the national anthem. At the time, his rebellious efforts became unnoticed, but he soon enough made headlines when someone took a photo of him sitting during the anthem. Thus a social issue was born from the public’s reaction from the photo.The negativity of the public’s reaction stemmed from the norm that it is customary that people raise their right hand over their heart while facing the flag when the Star-Spangled-Banner is playing, so if one does not follow this norm it is identified showing disrespect. Inevitably, the prediction of the people’s reaction were to be expected as they were outraged when Kaepernick broke the norm. Although, it is legal for individuals not to follow these sacrosanct protocols, citizens of the United States find this norm obligatory.Would you stand by and constantly watch the same social issues to keep reoccurring in your neighborhood? Not only that but it keeps happening to different people by the same organization? When numerous acts of police brutality occurred, Colin Kaepernick decided to protest. He could no longer stand by and do nothing; he decided to take a knee. For professional National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, his response was “no”. One of the last waves that came toward the end of the summer is the kneeling while the national anthem played during sporting events. When Kaepernick decided to

Kneeling during the national anthem is not just wrong it is also disrespectful to the multitudes in our country who have served or or presently serving this great nation-- the United States of America. The national anthem represents many things. One of them is the fortitude of our country’s flag. In the anthem it declares that the United States of America is “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The flag represents the very core and essence of our nation as the only land on the continent that offers its citizens the freedoms it has at the price paid for ultimately by the brave. It is in no way oppressive nor racist. It is the theme song for every American. The intended audience of this paper is an appeal to all Americans. The quarterback of the 49ers football team, Colin Kaepernick, first began a protest to draw attention to a series of incidents against African Americans by remaining seated during the national anthem, “the Star Spangled Banner.” After the great stir Kaepernick caused in the media during September 2016, Kaepernick switched up his protest by taking a knee as a nod or gesture of showing more respect to current and former military after receiving an in-depth letter from Nate Boyer a former NFL player and US military veteran. Boyer served our country as a Green Beret. Over a decade ago, Boyer witnessed genocide while working in Sudan. He met numerous African men who were smitten with America and longed to have the

Colin Kaepernick, a San Francisco 49er quarterback but also a daring black man that has decided to speak for the voices that can’t, has made his voice heard by kneeling during America’s beloved ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’. Jaweed Kaleem writes in the article “In the ‘land of the free,’ are you free to sit out the national anthem?” about the controversial topic in which he showcases the two sides of how it deems to be disrespectful to sit out the national anthem vs how Kaepernick has the freedom of expression to sit out what he believes does not benefit him.

A present day crucible in today’s world that has been occurring more and more is kneeling to the national anthem and how people that kneel don’t like our country, are only focused on helping one group/race of people, and people are being kicked off teams because of them making protests.The Anthem protests started last year in August when Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench at an NFL game during the National Anthem. After the game reporters asked him why he sat and he said, “I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that opposes black people and people of color” (Wyche ). Since this first incident it’s spread across all of the NFL, high school sports, NHL, women's professional soccer, and even in the MLB. This protest has even been caught in the eyes of the president and there is no sign of this protest slowing down.

Before a preseason game on a Friday, San Francisco 49ers not even starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the playing of the national anthem. Although the lovely twitter users have called Kaepernick things such as a “coward”, “disgraceful”, and a “little bitch”, some people say and compare him to other protesters in the past, for example Muhammad Ali in the 1970s, thought that’s not the case. Ali is the man most of America recently celebrated as a necessary and historic part of the American story. Further research and Ali's message wasn't always crystal clear and to the point. His legacy was complicated yet oh so brilliant, but that is why he was so important. He said things about the Muslim innocence people didn’t want to hear, but needed to. Even if they disagree severely. Although people disagree with the protest methods Kaepernick uses, the method has been controversial and has influenced many others to agree with it.

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.

At the start of the 2016 NFL preseason, Colin Kaepernick, quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, decided to take a seat during the National Anthem. His gesture during the first preseason game went unnoticed until the third preseason game. Many Americans disapproved and were very angry with him because America thinks sitting during the National Anthem is disrespectful to our military and our Nation. In an interview,32 Kaepernick said he was doing this because there is too much racial discrimination and police brutality against blacks. By the last preseason game, Kaepernick was kneeling instead of sitting because he respects the former and current military and he thought sitting was too disrespectful against the military. As the NFL season continues, so does Kaepernick's protest. Americans should be for the National Anthem Protest because the protest is fighting racial discrimination and police brutality.

In the sports article, “49ers fans burn jerseys over player’s refusal to stand during anthem”, Washington Post states that a gesture from the 49ers quarterback prompted protests by San Francisco 49ers fans. Colin Kaepernick does not want to stand up for the flag ever again because of a country that subdues black people and people of color. People are supporting the refusal to stand during the anthem and others are disowning this cause. Secondly, the sports article states that his protests with America is making people think twice for what they truly believe in. Moreover, the article claims how a former teammate of Kaepernick is being supportive of his choices and the right to press his statement to the country. The author concludes by us people

Recently, there has been much debate regarding the national anthem at professional football games. Players, most of them African-Americans, have been kneeling during the national anthem in protest of the police brutality and discrimination against people of color that has been rising in the United States. Some believe that this gesture is disrespectful to the United States entirely. Eugene Volokh, a law professor from UCLA School of Law, addresses this belief as well as the players’ argument. His audience for his article is white Americans with an income of about $50,000- $70,000. These people may also have been military personnel or have been in position that does a service for the country. The current service men and women are targeted as well. This audience may not fully understand the reasons behind the protest, since they are not the primary encounters of the issue. In this essay, I will be addressing this audience in order to explain that it not in the NFL players’ intentions to disrespect the service men and women.

Imagine the look on a veteran’s face as he notices players kneel in disrespect at the sound of the national anthem. Many fans and veterans were disappointed to see Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback in the NFL, refuse to stand while the national anthem was being played. Kaepernick’s actions insulted fans and hurt the sport. When America had no role in creating the racist tragedies, yet it is being disrespected for the incidents. The national anthem protests have not benefited democracy.

Although, a former teammate Anquan Boldin had a cousin last year shot to death by police, but he still stands during the playing of the anthem. He says that he supports Kaepernick's right to make the decision to sit or stand, but he will continue to stand and support his nation. The NFL is wondering why everyone is making a big deal out of it because he did the same thing in the previous preseason game. Kaepernick says, he feels he needs to stand up for the oppressed people, and if they take football away from him , he knows he has stood up for what is right. Many sources have said that this is what service men and women fight for. The people's right to “stand up and scream the anthem at the top of their lungs, or not honor it at all.” Kaepernick has always been outspoken about the racial issues in America, in the past. He openly supports the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Kaepernick's fans do not seem to care about this factor. One fan even played the National Anthem while setting fire to Kaepernick's jersey, and standing with his hand over his heart. Many angry fans have posted on social media that he is ignorant, spoiled, and childish.” Tomi Lahren, of news site The Blaze, tweeted saying: 'If this country disgusts you so much. Leave. Others would die to be in your spot you cocky

It has been a custom of all citizens, including professional athletes, to stand and remove their hats during the National Anthem since 1931. Although as of late, in an obscure manner of protest, many athletes and now fans have been kneeling during the National Anthem. Perhaps no group has more influence of the general public than professional athletes, which has been clearly documented as of late. All of this protest began when Colin Kaepernick, a back-up quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, kneeled during the National Anthem in the 49er’s first preseason game. Although this form of protest is very peaceful, many people believe it is disrespectful and have begun to question Kaepernick’s patriotism. Kneeling during the National Anthem creates a lot of tension between citizens, especially when it is used to protest a highly controversial topic to begin with.

A famous sports figure in history once said, “I cannot stand and sing the anthem. I cannot salute the flag. I know that I am a black man in a white world” (McKirdy). At first glance, this quote seems to be something that would have been said by the San Francisco 49ers Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, in light of his recent protests, as well as other sports players who decided to follow suit, to the playing of the national anthem before football games. However, this is not the case. The above quote was written in the 1972 autobiography, I Never Had it Made, written by Jackie Robinson, an African American Baseball player (McKirdy). Colin Kaepernick obviously felt the same as Jackie Robinson did when he sat on the bench rather than standing during a rendition of the national anthem before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on August 26. During an interview with the media following the game, Kaepernick explained why he refused to stand for the anthem, “‘I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder’” (Wyche). Kaepernick explains that he refused to stand for the national anthem because of the

The author, Sean Gregory, in “The Perilous Fight,” talks about the political issue that has been going on for the past year, the issue started when a professional football player from the San Francisco 49ers team, also known as  Colin Kaepernick, kneeled down when the National anthem for the United States of America was played at the beginning of a game. Kaepernick’s justification for this, was that this was his way of protesting unfair treatment of individuals because of racial characteristics. Since racism, discrimination, and gender inequalities have been going on for centuries, I agree on the matter of sports players being able to  kneel down when the anthem, “Star spangled Banner,” is being played because these people are trying to stand up for what they believe is right, and they should be allowed to protest because it is serving as a peaceful way to protest for people who are being unjustly treated. Racism and discrimination often leads to these individuals who are suffering to be judged, killed, and many other harsh things that should not be taking place in the “land of the free.” We as Americans are given so many great things, and people think about the United States they usually think of  freedom, pursuit of happiness, and the rights of being a U.S. citizen, but how can we exercise those given rights properly, when t the government does not let us by putting limitations and restrictions on how we use our rights?  When it's