The Freedom Of Speech

A big problem protesters like Colin Kaepernick and others are facing is that since they don’t participate in the National Anthem people think that they don’t like our country and are unpatriotic. For example Donald Trump and his aides took the situation into their own hands when calling out the protesters by saying, “protests are unpatriotic and disrespectful to the flag and those who have fought to protect the United States”(Tatum). After these comments players fire back by saying they’re exercising free speech by not participating in the National Anthem while standing with their hands over their hearts. Protesting is a

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick, a 49ers quarterback, took a knee during the anthem. He did this to bring attention that there is an oppression of “black people and people of color.” He also adds that once “there’s significant change, and I feel that flag represent what it’s supposed to represent,” then he will stand. All of the players up to now wanted to bring attention to unjustified police shootings that ended up killing people because of their race. Kaepernick caused many people who were passive and didn’t know how to deal with this topic to take a knee during the anthem. He along with many people began to spread awareness that America has a racism problem that should’ve ended decades ago, but is only getting worse.

Football players protesting during the National Anthem lately have football fans red hot. Colin Kaepernick and many other professional football players are protesting what they feel are social inequalities and wrongdoings by getting down on a knee while the National Anthem plays. While everyone else is standing up to show respect. One particular fan named Nate3914 tweeted... Kaepernick, “If you don't love the country get out of it. You should never play another down in the NFL, move to Canada.” However, Anquan Boldin, his former teammate, says that he supports Kaepernick's decision to kneel down during the anthem. He said, “The great thing about America is you can protest and what the quarterback is doing is just another type of that.” This is a popular and controversial example, that Kaepernick has the right to express himself as a free citizen of the United States. Taking away his right to protest violates his constitutional rights. Colin Kaepernick's protest during the national anthem has fans in protests of outrage, but he defends

Kaepernick received a lot of heat for kneeling during the national anthem. Many felt he was disrespecting the military and its flag. Others felt he was a bench player trying to be in the spotlight. Kaepernick stated the first day he protest that he “great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country”.(Branch) What many people who are against Kaepernick protest is that the military is only a portion of what our flag represents. Our flag represents freedom for all but African Americans are still being affected by

Limits on our rights limit freedom. Colin Kaepernick, a former 49ers quarterback, took a knee during the presentation of the protested during the U.S. national anthem as a way of social protest. Kaepernick and others following his suit have silently protested racial inequality and police brutality. Protesting the national anthem is an appropriate form of free speech. Due to exercising the First Amendment, nonviolent protesting, and by being national, influential football players, refusing to stand for the national anthem is ethical.

Kaepernick chooses to kneel because he will not “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color” (Wyche). The truth is, this action fixes nothing; it only disrespects the people who fought and died to give Kaepernick the opportunity to even play football. If Kaepernick feels so concerned about this issue, how does simply kneeling help this problem? At the Pearl Harbor 75th Commemoration, the head of U.S. Pacific Command low key called out Kaepernick by making a comment on how the people who died seventy-five years ago never failed to proudly stand and salute their country (Dicker). As if Kaepernick is a stone skipping across the ocean, his actions are creating a large ripple across America. Other athletes, ranging from Pro Athletes to little leaguers, choose to follow in his footsteps and disrespect America. His actions show his admirers and colleagues that dissing their country counts as acceptable behavior. Refusing to stand and honor America during the National Anthem can be extremely offensive and disrespectful to many

This protest shows disregard towards the military forces of the U.S. and the flag that represents patriotism. Alex Boone, guard for the Minnesota Vikings, is against Kaepernick’s views on this topic (source 1). Boone states, “. . . you should have some respect for people who served, especially people that lost their lives to protect ours. . . (source 1).” In other words, the least the players can do for the soldiers is stand for them while the national anthem is playing to honor the soldiers who served and are serving the country. These famous figures can save the protesting for another time like before or after the games. Those in favor of this protest say that they have the right to act upon their own will by kneeling instead of standing (source 3). Though that is a valid argument, people in the military are out there losing their lives while these players are just playing a game, so it doesn’t take much to show courtesy to those who help keep the United States free. During games of any sport or even during the pledge at school, everyone, including celebrities, should show pride for their country. Whether it’s during the pledge at school or the national anthem at a high school soccer game, standing represents the strength and dignity of the citizens of

On the contrary, those who take part in protesting the national anthem represent a bigger cause; they’re not aiming to disrespect the flag but desire something greater. These athletes are looking for change. Like Kaepernick, “[they refuse] to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” Many argue that they are not only expressing their first amendment rights, but “they’re showing respect to American values with an implicit demand that [they] do more than pay them lip service” (Tatum). Nate Boyer, former US Army Green Beret, who had previously assured Kaepernick to kneel rather than sit during our country’s National Anthem, said there's a difference between the two:

First of all, many people believe that these protests are about disrespected the anthem in addition to the country. But, These players aren’t trying to disrespect the country; they’re trying to peacefully protest police treatment of African Americans in America. When this all began Colin Kaepernick used to sit on the bench during the anthem, until a former NFL player as well a veteran, Nate Boyer, told Kaepernick that there was a better way to do this. So, Kaepernick

People need to remember that before Kaepernick knelt for our National Anthem he sat. After, this protest to stand for the Anthem during on for the first three postseason games a former NFL player and Army veteran, Nate Boyer, met with Colin Kaepernick to discuss the meaning behind it all. Through this we learned that it had nothing to do with the flag or military… it had to do with race. “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 at the outset of the controversy. Now we know that about 70% of active NFL players are black. About a month ago, when a few of white players joined in on the public sidelines display every player who took place in this with a raised fist or bended knee, was black. "I've been very clear from the beginning that I'm against systematic oppression," Kaepernick told CSN Chicago. “By that time, he and the handful of other players who had taken a knee were being excoriated, their jerseys used as doormats and bonfire fodder. They were called unpatriotic, ungrateful, disrespectful

America has always been a haven for freedom of speech, refuge for those under religion persecution, and a relatively diverse country. With these characteristics of America, people have always been able to express their right to protest in America. While protesting has been used numerous times throughout our history, it has been scrutinized and debated by the masses this current year. Football players have begun to kneel during the national anthem in protest of our current justice system, police brutality, etc. This was ignited by Colin Kaepernick, a football player, kneeling in protest of police brutality. This caused an uproar with many varying opinions on Kaepernick’s protesting. Some feel as if him kneeling disrespects the flag and those who fight for our country. Other’s believe that he should be able to exercise his right to protest as an American citizen. As an American citizen, I support Kaepernick’s right to protest and practice his 1st amendment right.

The protest that started in the National Football League has now led to protests across all sports in all levels of it-from Major League Baseball, to high school football, to the Women’s National Basketball Association-the list goes on and on. The action that started as kneeling during the national anthem has now led to some professional sports teams not even coming out of the locker room for The Star-Spangled Banner. Kneeling, sitting, locking arms, and raising fists have all been seen, by all races. Colin Kaepernick, the man who started it all, was not aiming to disrespect the flag or all of the men and women who have served in armed forces for this country. He wanted to protest in a respectful manner, which is why he kneeled, rather than sit. "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." He was protesting police brutality and racial injustice, a very real but not always talked about problem in the United States. However, is protesting

The recent controversy over the national anthem began in 2016, when the NFL quarterback Kaepernick sat, and then switched to his knee, knowing the tradition is to stand. This has triggered, and angered numerous of fans, players, politics, and many others around the country. Although some view players should stand during the national anthem, as others are saying they should have the freedom and right to kneel, sit, or stand, it is clear that most of the country is watching, and does not like NFL players to kneel or sit because extremely disrespectful to our flag, also the soldiers that have fought for our country. According to Anna Rogers, “ The national anthem is an important part of our game and there are only. We spent talking about the issues players are trying to bring attention to, issues in our communities, to make our communities better.” The fact that Kaepernick’s protest is being portrayed has long been considered a sign of disrespect. This has triggered also angered numerous of fans, players, politics, and many others around the country. Kolin knowing the tradition is to stand, he chose to kneel, and it is an extreme disrespect to our flag, also soldiers that have fought and served this country.

In 2016, a huge protest began in the National Football League(NFL) when Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers quarterback, sat down during the “National Anthem” at a preseason game. Kaepernick claimed he was taking this action because he did not want to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color” (Wyche). Since then, Kaepernick and many more NFL players have started to take a knee during the national anthem before each game. People around the world have become infuriated in these NFL players, including Kaepernick’s, decision in doing this. Others, argue that these players are secure under the first amendment and have the right to protest their beliefs on the field. In the Constitution of the United States the first amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievance” (U.S. Const. amen. 1). This means every American has the right to protest and right to freedom of speech. The first amendment protects the NFL players’ right to challenge the government by expressing their individual rights while using their ability to speak freely to bring attention to the sometimes-overlooked civil rights of minorities.

Throughout history, humans have casually turned words into predators, while making prey out of those it applies to. Our casual blindness of others disparities often allow certain discriminatory words to prevail and be empowered. Derogatory terms such as retard, gay, fag, etc have played a significant role in the dehumanization and victimization of marginalized people. On the topic of the R word, in the Washington Post published article “A Movie, a Word, and My Family’s Battle, Patricia E. Bauer argues that the word should be banned as a whole because of the hurtful and discriminatory undertones it promotes. In contrast, in the Washington Post published essay, “The case against banning the word retard,” Christopher M. Fairman claims that banning the R word would, in fact, be stripping Americans of their first amendment right. Freedom of speech is debatably the greatest American value, thus prohibiting the word would restrain us of what America stands for. Even though most of what Bauer writes about is genuinely true, I do not agree with the R word being utterly banned due to freedom of speech, potential lack of discussion amongst the word, and erasing the word's actual meaning. Instead, it should be reclaimed by those affected by it in order to put the power in the rightful hands.