NFL Protest Current Events

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.

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.

The current debate over kneeling or sitting in protest during the national anthem to protest police brutality was ignited by Kaepernick in 2016, and later adopted by many other professional football players, high school athletes, and professional athletes in other sports, all who have refused to stand for the national anthem. These protests have created disagreement and sparked a public conversation race, police brutality, the flag and if the NFL is the best forum for to protest such issue. Colin Kaepernick has since said “he’s not protesting the flag but police brutality against African Americans. www.Procon.org

NFL players are kneeling during the national anthem. The protest that has been ongoing since last season is finally getting some attention albeit mostly negative. Since mentioned by Trump there are many sides to this story, people are saying it’s disrespectful to kneel in protest while others are joining the protest themselves. John Legend, the author of “The NFL Protests Are Patriotic,” would take a knee if he had the chance. Legend believes that the protests are just another stepping stone to creating equity to minorities living in America. Legend gives a logical argument by providing historical protests that spurred changes in favor for civil rights and applies it to the current protest happening today. Overall his argument is well put together but is hindered by how Legend speaks of Trump in his introduction paragraph. This protest is sparking outrage throughout the nation because of how the peaceful protest is occurring and forgetting the importance of the protest itself.

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.

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

Ever since September of last year, the NFL National Anthem Protest has been one of the most controversial topics across social-media, alongside with other protests against police brutality. Many have criticized for such an action for being disrespectful to the National Anthem and Flag. Those, who have supported it, claim to protest against the nationwide police brutalities against the Black people. Looking back to the history of the United States, such sports protests are not a unique incident. During 1968 Olympic game, which are hold in Mexico City, African American Athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their black-gloved fists to speak for black civil rights. Yet, back then both the U.S. government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not show support for such an action, though today the IOC claimed that the black American athletes has made names for themselves for doing such protests.

Many players and their coaches have been protesting police brutality by ‘taking-a-knee’ during the Pledge of Allegiance. The media has been sharing and it has now become a bigger deal since the president has addressed it by saying "Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b---h off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired!" This riled up many Trump supports, secially when later on he tweeted that it had nothing to do with race and that it was about respecting the country. This leads many people to believe that the NFL players are just disrespecting their country. The stereotype about African Americans, that they are often disrespectful, is also being used to ‘justify’ what a lot of the media has to say. But, the real reason many NFL players are protesting is because they think that they shouldn't have to stand if they don't have pride for their country, and they have the right to do so, according to their first amendment. They don't lose the right to protest when they go on the field like some of the media thinks so. Many people, often white believe they live in a just- world because they have never had to deal with the racism many African Americans are dealing with so they do not think it is a big deal and that they are protesting to be disrespectful. The illusory correlation can also

Over the past few weeks, players of the National Football League, or the NFL, have been kneeling as a protest against any oppression against African Americans. A huge controversy developed around this topic as it snowballed out of control. Taking a knee during the sustainment of the National Anthem is disrespectful to those who have died protecting this country.

NFL players have been kneeling in protest during the national anthem. They are protesting because they wish to see changes made in our country. They want racism to end, and they want to end police brutality. Colin Kaepernick once part of the San Francisco 49ers started when the kneeling. He quotes that “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

When a national figure such as Colin Kaepernick refuses to stand for the National Anthem. It shocks people into paying attention and generates conversation, exactly what Kaepernick wanted (ProCon). Kaepernick’s protest has not just impacted the NFL, but other athletes and high schools are fighting too. A few NFL players have not been kneeling, but seen raising their fists during the national anthem. Mimicking the 1968 black-power protest of the Black Panthers. Professional basketball players are linking arms together and soccer player Megan Rapione is taking a knee during the anthem. High schoolers in Nebraska, Kentucky, Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota, and Maryland are following Kaepernick’s lead as well (Levin). Social media also playing a major part, this gives a voice to strong opinions on both sides, including a group of thirty-five US veterans. They stated “that it is far from disrespecting our troops, and there is no finer form of appreciation for our sacrifice than for Americans to exercise their freedom of speech”

As time goes on, the people of America continue to discover and create more issues that have affect on each person in the country. Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers took a knee during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” in protest of police brutality and racial injustice in America. Since then, NFL players from all over the country have joined in on this silent protest.

After Kapernick sat during the National Anthem during a pre-season game because he didn’t want to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” his teammate Eric Reid also declined to stand during their final pre-season game. Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback Jeremy Lane followed suit, and then Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall kneeled in protest during the team’s regular season opener on Thursday.

In a country full of immigrants with different backgrounds, a strong sense of patriotism unifies our nation. Throughout the country, in businesses, schools, sporting events and other situations, American citizens are required to honor our country by playing the National Anthem, saying the Pledge of Allegiance or displaying a flag. Because of this nationwide patriotism, it is to be expected that arguments have arisen over the National Football League players who kneel while the National Anthem plays before their games. By quietly opposing police brutality and cruelty in the United States, NFL players are justified in their demonstrations since their protests are constitutional and legal.

Sweat is pouring off spectators faces on  August 26, 2016 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The national anthem is playing before a preseason football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. The cameras lock in on one lone player kneeling on the 49ers sideline. It’s their quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. This date marks the start of a string of NFL protesting--by taking a knee--performed by players--even by whole teams! Over the past year there have been many debates on whether it should be allowed or not, since many people believe it to be disrespectful to veterans and the flag, hurting ticket sales or just not the place to do it at all. Those who approve of the protests argue that they have the right to. Although the NFL has  said they disapprove of the protesting there hasn’t been anything done. The constant arguments that have been raised because of the NFL not doing anything are mounting and will probably continue until action is taken. While the protests are still occurring, we can evaluate whether or not  the NFL anthem protest is something that we should support as Americans.