How do Americans feel about kneeling in protest during the national anthem? That’s a simple answer, the views are diverse and opinionated all around. You have your right to voice your opinion however, this concept seems to daunt many as they seem to forget that, in this case, kneeling as a form of protest is an exercise of our free speech and therefore should be accepted as such. President Donald Trump is guilty of stating he’s a man of the people but feels the need to disdain many unheard voices by using offensive and hurtful commentary like, “Get that son of a b---h off the field right now! He's fired!” (Tennessean- Lowary, J) Unaware of the reasoning behind every player’s protest, Trump continues to berate his own people in more ways than …show more content…
The numbers of the 1,300 or more respondents participating are allowing their opinions to be heard. Websites like PBS or CNN are surveying people’s opinions on the NFL player’s protesting. (FiveThirtyEight- Casteel, K) Poll numbers of over 40% are showing people’s opinions on the respect aspect of the protests and more than 50% for any causes of the protesting. This is an accurate representation of people’s opinions due to its anonymous aspect. Football games are no longer enjoyable because politics has made its way to the stadiums taking the joy away when a person sees their favorite player kneeling. They can’t know or understand why they are choosing to kneel so to them they see no reason to respect it. What if that player themselves had served, lost a loved one in the military, or have known someone to be a victim of a social injustice like police brutality? Where’s the compassion they might need in their reason for protesting? NFL players kneeling during our National Anthem is showing how Americans have the ability to exercise their right to have a voice and that should give no reason to allow such a disrespect towards it like what has been seen throughout our country
Stephanie Slade, a libertarian and a deputy managing editor for Reason magazine, wrote an article asking the question “Is watching football unethical?” She presents evidence, that we will review, that professional football players are being harmed by playing their game. She then lays out a series of analogies about, what she feels, are related topics and compares them to football players. She never answers her own question, but you do get the distinct feeling that she thinks people should stop watching professional football. She never defines ethics and assumes that everyone would see injustice in the trends she points out. I don’t agree with Ms. Slade and I don’t see injustice in the sad case of these players.
The issue of being unpatriotic during the National Anthem was raised by people when NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the national anthem before a preseason game. Later, Kaepernick addressed the media by saying this act was a stance against “police brutality on people of color”. By raising the
The NFL in particular is known for its focus on order, power and control, where operations are anonymous and interchangeable. With that players and employees are none else than compliant with league regulations. In this case Colin Kaepernick’s protest had the ability to go against the grain and break the façade of being afraid to voice his opinions. Today’s generation has become very open to sharing their opinions on social issues and Kapernick’s protest is just an addition. This protest instantly became political because of the fact that police brutality and racial is becoming a persistently uncomfortable issue that our country is facing. Every single there is something new about citizens being killed by the police for no reason, including recent cases such as Philando Castle and Terence Crutcher. Such issues will not be resolved until our society stands against it as a whole. It takes public figures such as Colin Kaepernick to stand with citizens to bring awareness about these issues in order to force change in the government and society. Whether industry leaders like it or not, I believe that such protest will continue to grow. Athletes and entertainers will continue to voice their opinions about social issues until changes come into effect.
If you are a big football fan then you might have noticed at the beginning of the season,that a player for the San Francisco 49ers, did not stand for the national anthem. The player's name is Colin Kaepernick. To some it might not have been a big deal, but to others it was a major controversy. They couldn't understand why Kaepernick did not stand for the anthem. From an online article by Steve Wyche, Kaepernick explains why he didn't stand for the anthem. “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 in an exclusive interview after the game. "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." () Kaepernick is referring to all the police shooting of African Americans that have been happening. Since Kaepernick started sitting out for the anthem others in the NFL and in other sports have also started to sit out for the anthem. The issue starts with the black
It is disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem because it disrespects the military and veterans, and could be done in a more professional way. I feel that kneeling shows how unappreciative those NFL players are. They get to go play the most popular sport in America for millions of dollars. There should be some consequences from taking this action. This protest could be done in a more professional way.
This protest began on August 26, 2016 when Colin Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, first took a seat on the sideline bench at a preseason game during the National Anthem. Later he transitioned to kneeling alongside his standing teammates. The reason behind Kaepernick’s protest was to draw attention to racial injustice and police brutality in the United States against African Americans. After the public noticed Kaepernick’s revolt, a national discussion sparked. Many people think that kneeling during the National Anthem was not the most respectful approach Kaepernick could’ve taken. The certain group of people that
The Star Spangled Banner is a sacred song in the United States of America. It not only is a symbol of the fight that soldiers have had to go through, but also a representation of freedom. When the National Anthem plays out of respect for our country, and those who fought for it, everyone is supposed to stand and remove their hats. Currently in the National Football League (NFL) there is a handful of players, mainly African Americans, that have been taking a knee or raising a fist during the play of our National Anthem. This I believe, is a great sign of disrespect for our country and our veterans. This I believe, is very immature and unnecessary. This I believe, should be put to a stop by the NFL and the players should be ashamed of himself for doing this. I am aware that the players have the right to do this, but there are many reasons why this should not be taking place.
Many people are very offended by burning America’s “national symbol” and view the act as “un-patriotic” and extremely disrespectfu8l towards the nation, its history and heritage. Many Americans believed that flag burning and desecration should be criminalized. However, other citizens believe that flag desecration is protected under the constitution and should be legal.
Issues of racial injustices have been a problem in the United States throughout generations. Athletes have always had their opinions on racial issues and have never seemed to hesitate to speak their mind. Recently Colin Kaepernick has been sitting out of the National Anthem to protest for “black lives matter.” The representation of race in the Article, Tommie Smith, iconic 1968 Olympics activist, defends Colin Kaepernick’s protest, by Nancy Armour, is a modern way to protest the racial injustices our country has been facing. Colin Kaepernick is simply standing up for what he believes in. It’s easy to say that he’s even following in the shoes of Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Smith, and Carlos in their stances on racial issues. Critics of Colin
This is why many people should take advantage of that instead of disrespecting it. Such as you have the right to state your opinion or vote. You also have a chance to create your own path in life rather than being told what is required of you. Another reason why players shouldn’t shame the flag is because politics shouldn’t be involved in sports. The whole reason why families enjoy going to live games or even watching them on tv Sunday evening is to have fun, not to have to listen to others boo each other during the pledge , which really is just as disrespectful as kneeling. Besides, why should it have to be taken to the extreme to which is now our president having to get involved and take action, such as threatening players that they might lose their job? Some players, more than likely, wouldn't be able to afford to lose this high of a paying job. Most importantly, the final reason why players should pay their respects to our flag is because every second of everyday brave, courageous men and women risk their lives to save ours from any and all foreign enemies. From minor battles and skirmishes to worldwide combat, our military is always on their feet; whether they are in the US, Iraq, or halfway around the world they never back down. Our service doesn’t care what race or religion you are. They fight for our country, they don’t trudge onto the field and announce we will be fighting for the whites in our country, now do
“Politics have no place in sports”. So, now that we have you all caught up, let's dig into the question at hand. Do NFL players have the right to protest the National Anthem while they are on the clock? Players are saying it is freedom of speech. While everyday Americans are saying it is a double standard, they could not do that without being fired from their jobs.
Football is a culture and within that culture is the desire to make money. In the 2014-2015 season, the NFL made $7.24 billion. Many dedicated fans travel to the stadium on a Sunday afternoon to experience the culture of football: the tailgate in the parking lot, the hundreds of dollars they pay to publicly display their favorite team’s gear, the front row seats to the game for them and their best buddy, the hotdogs and beer from the concussion stands. Many fans will participate in the NFL’s lifestyle every week. But the question is, do they really care about the actual sport or is it just the comradery and entertainment that it
When I was told to pick a topic that was problematic and related to civil disobedience, I immediately thought of an event that got more media coverage than anything else in August of 2016. Headlines resembling phrases like “Disrespect to Our Great Nation”, “Black Lives Matter Advocate Crosses Line”, and “Footballer Disrespects Military”. Other headlines included ones like “Football Player Takes a Stand by Taking a Knee”, and “NFL Player Uses Platform for Social Justice”. The national anthem in sports has traditionally been known and characterized with celebrities, and elaborate performances. However, in August of 2016 Colin Kaepernick changed that by taking a knee in protest for the mistreatment and oppression of people of color. Initially,
One of the main headlines in the sports news consists on the impact and effect of kneeling during the national anthem. This is starting to become a new trend in the National Football League (NFL). This new progression is allowing the NFL to lose the respect of a numerous amount of its fans that have served our country, the ones who respect our country, and the people that dedicate their lives just for our freedom. The news reporters are asking the people of America if they think this act is okay. They are also asking if the players doing this action should be penalized.
I am a pacifist; I do not believe in nor promote violence. I do, however, promote peaceful protest. The act of civil disobedience, of protesting something that is unjust, unconstitutional is well within our constitutional rights. The right to criticize our government is one that was given, that was fought for by our founding fathers. It is an act that affects our society in a very positive way; peaceful resistance encourages others to criticize a cruel and unfair government. Peaceful protests, strikes, and boycotts have the opportunity to gain the government's attention, to try and stop these so-called "anarchists". When we look back at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we see a hero. We see someone who is intelligent, who is not afraid to argue,