There is controversy between whether it is disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem or whether it shows respect. Some people see it as showing respect to the flag, but most people see it as disrespect to the flag. People that serve our country and sacrifice their lives for our country see it both ways, but do not like the way it is being handled. People can see kneeling for the national anthem as disrespectful like Donald Trump, veteran views, and public views or see it as showing respect like NFL views. Donald Trump has had an impact on those choosing to kneel during the national anthem. He said to the public, “I have three suggestions to fix the NFL: stop disciplining players for hard hits, boycott games when players kneel during …show more content…
For example, National Football League players who kneel when the national anthem is played are protesting racism and police brutality, not inciting disrespect for the national anthem or the flag” (By Kneeling, NFL Players Stand for What's Right." par. 1). NFL players do not think it is disrespectful because they are not looking at it in the same way as other people. They are protesting against racism and police brutality, but they should protest that on their own time not at a sporting event. Standing for the national anthem is respecting those you have served our country and that is it. When someone does not stand up they see it as disrespect no matter what someone’s point of view is. Another example, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick pioneered this form of political expression, drawing national attention last year for remaining seated during “The Star-Spangled Banner” to protest racial injustice” (By Kneeling, NFL Players Stand for What's Right." par. 3). NFL players are kneeling to protest from a racial point of view, but they are not going to stop because they think it I the right thing to do. The players do not see it as disrespect to the flag and are not meaning for it to be looked in that way. They are wanting to just protest against racial injustice, but doing it in this way has started more controversy because most people are not looking at it the same way the players are. NFL players do have a right to protest, but they are not doing it in the best way because even though they have a different point of view, most people are going to see it as disrespect to 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.
At the same time players like Matt Forte, running back for the Chicago Bears, believes that all of these rules are becoming an issue (Dunkak). Dunkak can argue that every rule is contradicting to what the offense does and what the defense does. For instance Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions Defensive Tackle, was sued for a hit on quarterback, Brandon Weeden, from the Cleveland Browns. The hit appeared to be a “clean hit,” as Suh put his helmet in the middle of Weeden’s chest to take him down. Nonetheless, the NFL made it illegal to use any part of a players’ helmet to violently take down an opponent. Also, Detroit Lions Kicker, David Akers, compares the NFL to a golden goose by saying if you change it too many times, all of the sudden you do not have that great of a product
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
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
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
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.
When Donald Trump tweeted Curry, Curry was overwhelmed and shocked that the president was so defensive about his decline to go to the White House. Curry explains, “And now, of course, it’s those same people — who couldn’t understand why I would peacefully state my opposition to our White House visit — who will tell you that pro athletes, when they engage in peaceful protest, are disrespecting the military, our flag and our country” (Curry, TN). The keyword there is peaceful. When protesting, whether its declining to go to the White House or kneeling during the national anthem, peacefully wanting to speak out is okay and it is a right in the Constitution. The first Amendment states, “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 grievances” (findlaw). Not one of those people are in any way trying to be disrespectful to the military nor the American flag. They are protesting for a reason, a good reason. It could be standing up for Black lives in America or disagreeing with the president's actions and/or comments, either way it is something that we need do to make a
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
In this article, the author of “Counterpoint: National Anthem Protests Are Unpatriotic and Disrespect the Nation's Military” is talking about the National Anthem Protests within the NFL, expressing his own feelings, he condones that those protests Are “Unpatriotic and Disrespect the Nation’s Military”. These protest are in fact disgraceful and disrespectful towards the American flag for which fellow Americans have put there lives on the line to help protect the people of the country and to keep this country to stay alive! One NFL football player known as Colin Kapernick, A African American, was ultimately the icon for the National Anthem Protest
“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.
In recent news, Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players have experienced scrutiny by the government, media, and the public because they stand in solidarity against the oppression of people of color relating to police brutality against young black males. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) allows NFL players have the right to exercise their First Amendment freedom of speech, expression, and protest in support of people of color who are being oppressed even though the discrimination of Colin Kaepernick led to the league discard him. On the other hand, playing devil’s advocate, the First Amendment also supports the beliefs of their being a superior power catering to those of a superior race. Criticisms from Donald Trump and other Americans
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,