National Anthem Persuasive Speech

Although NFL athletes are a huge figure in America today, they still choose to disrespect their country by kneeling during the National Anthem. I believe kneeling during the National Anthem is unpatriotic, separate’s teammates and the community, and is also bad publicity. This has caused people to protest the NFL by doing things such as burning their season tickets. Kneeling during the anthem has caused a huge controversial issue that is impacting many. This has not only caught the attention of adults but also children. The NFL is now losing its focus on football and putting more focus on politics.

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.

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.

“O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” John Stafford Smith said in 1814. This has become America’s top way to show respect to the country. Can you imagine people being disrespectful during this important moment? Well, whether you believe it or not, the very act has been happening over and over on America’s top sporting fields. Players playing in the NFL have been kneeling during the national anthem, creating riots in the crowds. Many, many people died for America’s song, but yet people keep on kneeling no matter what people say, even the President! So, how bad is the kneeling issue? Well, we have to look at why they are doing this disrespectful act in front of thousands of people. And don’t worry, if you don’t have a side on this issue, this essay will help you make a decision. By listening to what fans, players, and NFL management are saying, we can finally take a side on this important issue.

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.

On August 26, 2016 Colin Kaepernick “Took a stand” by not standing during the National Anthem before the preseason game. This angered many fans, including African American fans. Many videos have gone viral, of fans burning Kaepernick's jersey. In one video the man was recorded saying, “if you don't love our country, get the [] out of it. You should never play another down in the NFL. Move to Canada." Although, Kaepernick broke no rules, Officials are still thinking about penalizing him. Kaepernick says that he will not honor a flag for a country that oppresses people of color. Many people wonder how he knows what it is like to be oppressed making 126 million dollars a year.” Another fact that has angered fans is that Kaepernick was adopted

This is not a solid argument because the National Anthem is played in honor of our nation and the freedom of a diplomatic government; a player feels that his government is not holding up to its purpose then he has the right to not stand and honor it. It seems that the news only reports the problem of the racial discrimination and police brutality with no solution to fix these issues. Consequently, the players are using the same news to air their protest in which sheds light on thousands or millions of viewers about the problems in America for quite some time. Even Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints disagrees with the delivery of the message by stating, “It’s an oxymoron that you’re sitting down, disrespecting the flag that has given you the freedom to speak out” (Refusing 3). However, Drew Brees supports Kaepernick’s statement that he was protesting against the racial injustice. As stated by Colin Kaepernick, “I’m 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” (Refusing 2). This is a great point that the flag provides them freedom, but what is the point of having the ability to protest if they do not use it.

Trump sparked some NFL players and owners to sit out or skip the national anthem all together after telling the crowd at an Alabama rally:

In the Atlantic article “They Took A Knee,” author Megan Garber describes the recent outbreak in NFL players and coaches, who have participated in the protest against social oppression, by kneeling during the national anthem. The article describes how there an been an extensive increase in the protests of NFL athletes “after President Trump’s harsh condemnations towards them, for kneeling during the national anthem”. As stated in the article, NFL protests began in 2016, when NFL player Colin Kaepernick “knelt during the pre-game singing of the national anthem...to protest racial oppression against African Americans.” This action has now been replicated by NFL athletes all over the country standing up for equality

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.”

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say, 'Get that son of a ----- off the field right now. Out. He's fired,'”. President Donald Trump about people kneeling to the flag during our Anthem. Professional sports are becoming a way to express one’s political views. During the recent years, it has become a trend to protest against the National Anthem to raise awareness to police brutality by kneeling during the playing of the Anthem. Players should not kneel or disrespect the flag during our National Anthem because the reason they have a right to protest is because of what that flag stands for and everyone who has fought for it.

Trump has stated during his speech in Alabama “wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespect our flag, to say get that son of a b****** off the field right now. He’s fired. He’s fired.” (Trump 2016) After, Trump made this statement more football player began to take a knee during the anthem. There is a way as President of The United States to speak or address the citizens of the U.S, and this way that you decided to voice yourself is not the best way. Not everyone is disagreeing with the way President Trump handles the issues that we are facing. I think that these players are standing together in what they believe in and knowing what is not right and continues to get worse with the system working against certain people.

Whenever the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem plays, it is a known fact that we stand with our right hand over our heart, and left hand beside us or tucked behind our back. If someone does not do this, we as American citizens call that unpatriotic. American citizens do this to show respect for all the men and women serving our country in the army. How about take this into consideration, let´s say that you play on a professional football team for the NFL, and the National Anthem is playing and you take a knee, knowing that one of your teammates is an army veteran. Knowing that someone actually did this is sickening and a disgrace to our country. So therefore President Trump is not putting an end to NFL players’ natural rights because the playerś signed a contract which states, ¨During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking¨ (Grathoff).

President Donald Trump made comments in a speech and on Twitter against football players who protest during the national anthem. Some National Football League (NFL) players have been kneeling or sitting during the national anthem.