The Importance Of Kneeling

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.

In the article, “Taking a Knee has Always Been a Sign of Reverence, Not Disrespect,” Luke Bretherton discusses the event of the black football players kneeling during the national anthem at a game. Bretherton argues that the kneeling is not a sign of disrespect, but yet a symbol of great respect and veneration. He claims that the posture of kneeling has always has been proven to display “a gesture of great love and devotion,” a request for a deeper level of a relationship, and to raise awareness of an emergency (Bretherton 2). Bretherton then combines all of these symbols and presents his argument, stating that the athletes were kneeling in protest for several reasons: the players were encouraging the people of America to join them in a

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

To take a knee during the national anthem shows little to no respect for our flag, or our military service. As the people at ProCon.org once stated, “The national anthem pays respect to the people who have risked their lives, been injured, or died defending the United States”(ProCon.org, 2017). What this says is kneeling during the national anthem pays little to no respect to the people who risked their lives for our benefit. Moreover, the only reason these guys are able to play this sport, is because the men and women that protected our rights as humans, also our country. Therefore, the least the gentlemen could do is stand for a few minutes to pay respect to our country and our military service. As Mike Pence once tweeted on Twitter, that he wants nothing to do with anybody that will not respect our nation or military service(Wagoner, 2017). Mike Pence is saying that he does not want to notice the people that

This act of kneeling down should be considered as an act of patriotic criticism, rather than a betrayal of the nation. After all, patriotism does not mean that we should love and support everything that the government conducts, but rather we should criticize for the greater good of the government, so that it could improve. Government could only improve, if they can hear the voice from the people. Only after accepting the criticism can one improve. Therefore, the focus of such protest in the NFL should be why they protested, instead of the act of protesting. After all,

Is kneeling during the National Anthem disrespectful to America. People have been asking this question for a year and a half right now. The National Anthem is a moment of time where we all become one, looking at the possibilities of the future. We honor the many people who served and who are serving in the armed forces and the public forces with great respect. They are the light of which blocks out the darkness, so it won't affect the United States of America. The United States of America is a beautiful place with many cultures and beliefs. We learn from each other new things that we can use to benefit our life's. The many instances of kneeling in the NFL have brought a large consequence to the financial side of the NFL and other associated businesses. In the NFL, viewership has dropped over 10 percent in the 2017 season so far. The NFL is a 13-billion-dollar business. The effects of the protest have led to almost a 2-billion-dollar loss in revenue. Kneeling in the NFL has created controversy and arguments that we cannot ignore forever.

Taking a knee during the National Anthem began 13 months ago with Colin Kaepernick. He started to protest just by sitting on the bench, then when he was asked why he is doing this he responded saying that he is doing this to show more respect for the military veterans. However, a few months later when Kaepernick’s protest became more known to society he said “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag or country that oppresses black people, and to

The ground is not constant in every part of the world. Grass, sand, dirt, rocks, and everything in between is always changing underneath our feet. The sky is always shifting when new shapes and colors pass above our heads as we carry out our lives. It is baffling to think that people surrounded in a world of change believe it is possible to stick to one way of living. The belief in following a tradition can come from multiple ideals. The United States has an abundance of these traditions, and sometimes it is hard to notice when you are within one. The Star Spangled Banner is a prime example of a long-standing tradition in the United States, where it is usually played before national sporting events. Americans believe that the national anthem represents the greatness of America, and some believe that it honors our fallen soldiers and military. It is traditional to stand with our hands on our hearts, facing the flag while the anthem plays. The recent phenomenon of NFL players kneeling at the national anthem is a call to attention for the victims affected by racial inequality and police brutality within our country. Interestingly, NFL players weren’t required to be on the field during the anthem until 2009. Regardless, this show of taking a knee seems to many as a menace to their tradition. Some people were thoroughly opposed to these protests, including our own country’s leader. The president of the United States calling these gestures a “total disrespect of our

Kneeling during the national anthem is a peaceful and silent way to take a stand for our people and say this is wrong. Kaepernick used his power as a celebrity athlete and his big influence to reach a lot of people. Kneeling was never

A little over two years ago Colin Kapernick the free agent quarterback whom once held a starting position as the quarterback for the San Francisco Forty-Niners began kneeling on one knee during the National Anthem played prior to the kickoff of every game. His reason in taking such measure for doing what he was doing was due to the injustice that was carried out on the way that Black American males have been treated in the United States of America. Ever since the slaying of unarmed Michael Brown, a young black male whom was gunned down whilst being unarmed in Ferguson, Missouri by a white police officer, no charges were filed. Even so following the death of Brown there has been numerous amounts of black males in America that were gunned down

In the past few months, discussion has risen within the nation over players kneeling during the national anthem at football games. The first to kneel was Colin Kaepernick back in 2016. He wanted to bring attention to the issue of police brutality against people of color throughout the United States. Opposers believe that Kaepernick, and other football players who have followed his lead, have disrespected

The movement of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem is a symbol of peaceful protesting. It does not symbolize a rebellion, it instead serves as the way to get the point across that the people will not stand for the social and racial injustice done to other citizens of this country. The action bears no disrespect to veterans or any other patriot who has fought and/or died for the United States.

This being done mainly by football athletes, who are meaning to take a stand against, ‘’ police treatment of minorities.’’ (Stapleton) This, although, may be a noble cause, but is taken into action at an inappropriate time. The national anthem is sang for a multitude of reasons, and one being to show the strength and unity of our nation. Kneeling, on the other hand, goes against both of these ideas, and disrespects those who have fought for us. Kneeling shows a lack of care for the country that has bothered enough to fight a war amongst itself for the equality of those who

Caleb I strongly agree with you because I believe that kneeling during the national anthem or during the pledge is very disrespectful to anyone who believes in the true spirit of americans. Many people have had their lives taken fighting for the flag and to kneel in front of it is very rude. I am not against protesting or people rights or any of that I just think that there is better ways to express yourself. He could have instead said something or even done something that showed that he thought that african americans or anyone should have equal rights. Americans are also very proud of the flag and when you kneel you kind of are saying that you don’t really care that much. If he is showing that he doesn’t care about his country he shouldn’t