Recently, there has been a debate over NFL athletes refusing to stand for the national anthem as an appropriate form of protest. Although many celebrity athletes are using this protest as a way for publicly expressing the issues of police brutality and racial inequality, kneeling when our national anthem is being played is not an appropriate form of protest. First, refusing to stand for the national anthem shows disrespect for the flag and members of the armed forces ("Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem: Top 3 Pros and Cons"). If it weren’t for our military, navy, air force, police, etc. then an athlete may not have the ability to play a sport professionally. The national anthem plays respect to those veterans and current officers who
After the Revolution, the country was left in an economic crisis and struggling for a cohesive path moving forward. The remaining financial obligations left some Founding Fathers searching for ways to create a stronger more centralized government to address concerns on a national level. The thought was that with a more centralized, concentrated governing body, the more efficient tensions and fiscal responsibilities could be addressed. With a central government manning these responsibilities, instead of the individual colonies, they would obtain consistent governing policies. However, as with many things in life, it was a difficult path with a lot of conflicting ideas and opponents. Much of the population was divided choosing either the
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.
The United States Constitution is a national government that consist of citizen’s basic rights and fundamental laws. This document was signed on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia by the majority of representatives. Today, the United States Constitution’s purpose is to supply a strong central government. However, before the United States Constitution was developed, many citizens did not support the constitution due to the fact that they found it contradicting and detached from the original goals of the Declaration of Independence. These citizens were known as anti-federalists. Fortunately, George Washington was a supporter of the constitution and had an enormous impact in the public support of the constitution. With a few adjustments, some
Why was the Declaration of Independence written? The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776. We all know that day as Independence Day. It was accepted on July 4, 1776. On that day, the United States had freedom. There was a long, hard process to get the Declaration of Independence where it needed to be. It took several people, and several reviews to get it just right.
Is there a constitutional right to burn the American flag? In Dallas, Texas there was a Republican Party for President Ronald Reagan as a re-nominated candidate for president. But the protesters were not so happy about the policies of the Reagan administration. Through the streets of Dallas protesters marched, causing damage to property. One protester named Gregory Lee Johnson doused an American Flag in kerosene and set it on fire. In Texas, desecrating an American Flag was a criminal offense. Johnson was arrested and charged with violating the Texas flag desecration law, so the U.S Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. We of the Majority opinion believe that there is a conclude that such conduct does not merit First Amendment protection also the flag itself may be used as a symbol, only in one direction which is the country, and it doesn’t matter if the flag has a deeply symbolic value.
Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration Of Independence. 02 July 1776. What Thomas Jefferson meant by the terms “unalienable rights” and “self-evident truths” is that since all men are created equally, they are entitled to their freedom, to do such that makes them happy and that they own the right to live. Each and every person has the right to select or vote who governs him or her and also have the right to remove who is already in power. “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (3). Each individual should not have their rights taken away from them to chose who they believe will lead their nation in the right direction and will act or show care and thought for their future. Jefferson emphasizes
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
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.
Kneeling During the National Anthem You have probably seen the debate across the news covering the controversial protest of kneeling during the National Anthem. This protest has stirred up conversation throughout the nation. Is kneeling during the anthem an appropriate way to protest? Supporters think that the celebrities are smart by using their fame to bring attention to America’s problems, but others think that football games are not the appropriate place to focus on politics.
Henry Gass states, “The prospect of athletes speaking up has always been fraught” (2). Carl Stoffers states, “Many accused [Kaepernick] of thumbing his nose at America by not joining in a patriotic ritual that’s long been a fixture at sporting events” (8). Include the fact that the NFL which Kaepernick plays “[is] a league that promotes itself as a war game and brands itself with the flag” (Jenkins). Doubters are quick to label him unpatriotic because the place and time he protested might be wrong. The NFL show respect to military officials, Roger Goodell says, “The NFL believes very strongly in patriotism” (Jenkins). The military and American football has the same symbolic values. Carl Stoffers writes Starn says “[American is] the most sports-obsessed society in the history of the world, and we’re also a nation that’s obsessed with patriotism and pride in identity” (9). The national Anthem and the flag are symbols that American people believe make someone patriotic. Professor Blackistone writes, “[Kaepernick] dare to protest in the athletic arena, where [Americans] wrap sporting events in a prophylactic of patriotism used to demand political conformity and suppress discourse” (gtd. in
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.
The Pledge of Allegiance is a well known symbol of liberty, freedom, and prosperity among the citizens of the United States. The Pledge of Allegiance was created in August 1892 by a socialist minister Francis Bellamy of the words “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” (Ushistory.org) In 1954, President Eisenhower embolden Congress to add the words “under God” to the Pledge due to the threat of Communism and McCarthyism. Many people believe that the words “under God” do not belong in the Pledge due to it having affiliation with religion.This addition to the pledge provoked several controversial topics, especially having students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools.
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 and they could not do that without being fired from their jobs.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" (Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States). These words can be heard around half of the schools in the United States, right before kids begin their day. As well as, games, graduations, and other events. We have been taught to recite this while standing up, facing the American flag, and having our right hand over our heart. By doing this, some U.S. citizens feel "that the Pledge, despite its religious content, is primarily a patriotic exercise" (Brown, Simon). Truth is, the pledge of Allegiance shouldn’t be praised as much as it is which can be controversial when others see it as a wonderful thing. What they don’t see, is that the Pledge of Allegiance is actually flawed because of its