preview

The Anthem Of The United States

Good Essays

Is Sitting Down for The Star Spangled Banner Really Standing Up?
It’s Friday night and the stands of the football stadium are full. Everyone is packed together like sardines in a can. The moment comes to rise for the National anthem of the United States. Everyone is on their feet ready to listen or sing along, and some have their hand on their chest. Looking through the crowd it is obvious to onlookers that these people love their country or are at the very least, are respectful of this practice of standing for the Star Spangled Banner. Surprisingly, there is a break in the crowd with one man sitting through it all. Colin Kaepernick has chosen to sit through the anthem in protest of police brutality. Some people believe that he has the freedom of his actions and does not have to stand for the national anthem because they think he has the right to follow his beliefs because we live in a free country. However, I think that he is a citizen of the United States of America and he is lucky to be a citizen so he should show respect to the country he lives in. It was reported by Marissa Payne, a staff writer for The Washington Post that Kaepernick chose not to stand for the anthem because of the police brutality towards black citizens of the United States. Payne has been a reporter for over a decade and points out that Kaepernick who is a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers has done this before. She says that, “Kaepernick has long been a supporter of the #BlackLivesMatter

Get Access