Kaepernick's Argument For The National Anthem Protests

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.

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

Due to racial injustices and a great loss of African American lives at the hands of police officers, various athletes have decided to peacefully protest by kneeling during the National Anthem before sporting events. However, some commentators have argued that this method of protest is offensive or disrespectful, and very unpatriotic. This form of protest has been a popular topic of conversation and nearly splits the country into two...for, and against. However, every U.S. citizen is granted a right to the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution, which includes freedom of speech and protest.

This needs to stop. Sure, you have the right to free speech and the right to protest but standing for the National Anthem is an unwritten rule of America. Nowhere does it say you are required to stand for it but it is a sign of respect to the members of the Armed Forces that fought for and even died for your rights and freedoms, one being that you can kneel for the Star Spangled Banner. Odds are that most of the athletes that are kneeling have currently, or have had, a family member in the Armed

The trend of standing up for what others believe has stormed across the nation for diverse reasons. One of many examples of this situation includes the National Football League(NFL). Approximately two years ago, quarterback Colin Kaepernick began to protest the national anthem due to his belief that his rights and the rights of other african-americans were being violated. Shortly after many other professional athletes followed his lead and protested the national anthem by kneeling down, locking

A Football player named Colin Kaepernick is the quarterback for the San Francisco 49er’s he is protesting racial injustice by not standing for the National Anthem.In August, National Football League (NFL) quarterback Colin Kaepernick began refusing to stand for the national anthem. Many people spoke out against the San Francisco 49ers player for his action. In the midst of a divisive election year, an important discussion about race class and violence in this country was almost abandoned by the news media.Then something surprising happened. Many in the sports world supported Kaepernick and his right to protest. Many did so even as they continued to stand with their hands over their hearts for The Star-Spangled Banner.

As a rising star for the 49ers, Colin Kaepernick led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012-2013 season. His stardom began to peak there and he began to decline. At the start of the 2016-2017 season, two African Americans were killed in traffic stops and they were not a threat to the police. Kaepernick, a fellow African American, knew that blacks were being treated unequally by law enforcement and they were not being punished for their actions. During the first two preseason game, he sat during the national anthem but he didn't have a uniform because he was injured. It was until the third game were a photographer captured a picture of Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem. After the game, Kaepernick stated “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color”. (Branch) His actions did not create attention but it was the beginning steps of his silent protest. In the 4th preseason game, he took a knee with fellow player Eric Reid. Many players from around the league began to follow. This began sparking the protest that left a big impact in sports history.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first refused to stand for the National Anthem on Friday, Aug. 26, to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. These protests have generated controversy;

It has led to division in our nation and has not helped improve the situation of those individuals whom they are protesting for. Clearly, there are more effective things these athletes could have done to make a difference. In order to understand why and how Kaepernick's actions have been very counterproductive we must consider what he stated and what was the response to it. “"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 interview after the game. "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". Kaepernick stated this in response to the controversial shootings of African American individuals by police men. There has been an extraordinary debate about the social and racial issues in America but Colin Kaepernick-NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers-started a very controversial debate with a simple act sitting or kneeling during the National

You may have heard of some famous athletes kneeling for the national anthem as a protest against the way people of color are being treated by police and some politicians. This has been a huge debate across the country. It started when Colin Kaepernick, an NFL 49ers player knelt during the national anthem. Soon after Colin, many athletes started joining the protest. Although the first amendment states you have the right to protest I believe you shouldn't because it's disrespectful and counterproductive.

In today’s society, Colin Kaepernick has made a stand in which what he believes in and what others think it is doing wrong for not standing up for the National Anthem. Kaepernick’s stand has made an impact to the NFL and all over U.S, his kneeling during the National Anthem cost him a fine of millions of dollars. The 49ers have lost a tremendous amount of fans for what Colin has done, but many other NFL Players have starting backing up with Kaepernick’s action like the linebacker for the Miami Dolphins Jelani Jenkins, Free safety for the 49ers Eric Reid also believes the same way as Kaepernick. I believe in Kaepernick’s action even though it might lack the allegiance to the flag but it still means something to the ones who believe in what

The national anthem is a time for our country to pay respects to our army for giving us our freedom and protection. The “Opinion: The Athlete as Agent of Change” article by Lonnie Bunch and David Skorton is an article that describes how America feels about athletes who are protesting during the National Anthem by kneeling, raising a fist, etc. Honestly, it does depend on what they are protesting for, although in the athlete’s code of conduct, all athletes are required to stand during the national anthem. Seeing an athlete who is not standing during the national anthem is a disgrace to our country, our soldiers who are fighting for our freedom, and the people of whom have kept this nation at peace the best they can. Protesting is fine.

Kaepernick has drawn an immense amount of attention onto the topics of football, patriotism and law enforcement. Kaepernick's decision to sit out for the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” is a decision that should be respected. Kaepernick shouldn’t have to deal with the intense scrutiny he is getting from his own personal choice. Kaepernick believes that the United States national anthem doesn’t represent present day America anymore. Kaepernick says that “ when there is a significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it is supposed to… then I’ll stand” (Kaleem). Kaepernick is simply expressing his freedoms and according to the constitution he isn't doing anything wrong. In fact, he is just executing his rights and freedoms

The article “The Athlete as Agent of Change” discusses the idea of different athletes using the national anthem to protest about something or to make a problem known. This is a good way to protest about what’s going on or what you believe. The reason for this is that in the first sentence of that article i t says that the athletes who are doing this are just silently protesting in the national anthem. By doing this the athletes don’t only get their dilemmas “voiced” but in doing so they are not physically or verbally hurting anyone because it is al silent, and the people who were not paying attention during the reciting of the national anthem probably didn't notice or simply didn't care. An example of an

It’s been nearly forty-six years since the entertainer Jimi Hendrix rocked the nation with his Woodstock performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, a performance that served has both a political muse and thoughtful engagement with current events. Many at the time and even to this day still question the true meaning of the rendition, but the one constant on either side of the debate is that his version was powerful and sparked a nationwide conversation. Throughout the years few have replicated that level of response in relation to the national anthem, it wasn’t until August of 2016 at a National Football League (NFL) preseason game that quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to take a seat during the national anthem and would soon spark an ongoing outcry from the public across the nation. The movement was based on fighting racial discrimination and brutality from various police departments across the country, it was about sticking to moral principles that should be shared by all in this country. Many believed his stance was completely unacceptable and anti-American while others stated it was the perfect catalyst to come together in favor of the protest and show their support for freedom of speech and the principles they’re based on.