Is kneeling during the national anthem disrespectful towards the flag or a way a spreading awareness through our country?

If you have been paying attention to the news within the last 2-3 years then you would probably know about the police brutality that is still happening in America. Many people would argue that a majority of this violence is forced upon the black community of our country. According to The Atlantic, there are many studies that show black men aged 15-34 are between nine and sixteen times more likely to be killed by police then other people. When issues like this occur there are many thoughts that could go through someone’s mind. Some including “is this a racist act that is still occurring in our country” or “how can we change what is going on”. 

Many people began to protest and bring awareness to this controversial topic. One including former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. Many people probably don’t know his legacy of being a great athlete or playing for the 49’rs, some only know him for kneeling during the national anthem. It did not start of with kneeling though, during his 2016 preseason games Kaepernick decided to sit during the national anthem. This act went unnoticed until a woman named Jennifer Lee Chan tweeted a photo of Kaepernick sitting. This later gained national attention and the 49’rs put out a statement confirming that Colin Kaepernick was sitting during the anthem. Kaepernick told the media that he chose to sit because of the oppression of people of color and ongoing police brutality happening in America. Kaepernick’s decision to sit lead to a big controversy within our nation. Many people said that he was disrespecting the flag while others thought he was simply protesting for those who don’t have a voice. So this is the big question, is it okay to quietly protest during the national anthem if someone is trying to bring awareness to a current situation or is any form of kneeling or sitting disrespectful to the flag.

Kneeling is Disrespectful to the Flag and Everything it Stands for.

This action has really divided our country and many people think that kneeling during the national anthem is not appropriate especially in front of large audiences. I think many Americans could agree that the national anthem is way to show respect to the people who risked their lives or died defending our country. Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem: Top 3 Pros and Cons  explains why kneeling can be viewed in a disrespectful way. Carole Isham, a great-great-great granddaughter of the author of the national anthem( Francis scott key) says that,”it just blows my mind that somebody like ( Kaepernick) would do what he does to dishonor the flag of this country and the national anthem when we have young men and women overseas, fighting for this country, people have died for this country”. Over all Isham  thinks that the action Kaepernick took is disrespectful to people who served or are currently in service. Drew Brees , New Orleans Saints quarterback was in full support of the message that Kaepernick was trying to spread, but he disagreed with the delivery:”It’s an oxymoron that you are sitting down disrespecting the flag that has given you the freedom to speak out”. 

Good Morning America posted a video to youtube of former fans  burning Kaepernick’s  jersey. 

The fans thought it was wrong for him to say he was oppressed making 126 million dollars. He simply said he was,”not  going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color”. Although Kaepernick thinks what he is doing is acceptable, there is clearly a common agreement on why people think this is disrespectful. Many Americans agree that kneeling is disrespectful to the flag and everything it stands for.

Kneeling has never been a sign of disrespect

There is a whole other side of how people view kneeling during the national anthem. Many people think that it is a great way to spread awareness on a issue that could make many people feel uncomfortable.  Some people don’t understand when kneeling become a sign of disrespect. A christian man named Luke Bretherton gives many  examples of kneeling always being a positive thing and a way to show respect. For example,Tim Tebow used to kneel before each game for religious purposes. Nobody thinks that is disrespectful. At sporting events when someone gets injured, all the players kneel to show respect for that person who was injured. So a lot of people argue that kneeling was never meant to disrespect anyone or anything.

Image by Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons

Other athletes agreed with what Kaepernick was doing. Brandon marshall, Denver Broncos linebacker said,”the message is I’m against social injustice…I’m not against the military or police or America at all”. That is the honest truth. People who kneel during the national anthem don’t hate America. They don’t hate the Flag. They simply want to make a change and put an end to racism that is still happening in America.

Former president Barack Obama says Kaepernick was,”exercising his constitutional right to make a statement. I think there’s a long history of sports figures doing so.” A letter signed by 35 US veterans stated that it was “Far from disrespecting our troops, there is no finer form of appreciation for our sacrifice than for Americans to enthusiastically exercise their freedom of speech.” Many veterans agree that the reason they fought for our country was to protect people’s rights such as peacefully protesting during a football game.

The Overall Impact

Obviously Colin Kaepernick’s actions caused a big controversy. Many celebrities began supporting him and most people in the media agree that black people are still facing racism in America. This year celebrities such as Rihanna and Cardi B turned down performing for the 2019 Super Bowl in support of Colin Kaepernick being fired from the NFL.

I think we all can agree that the media had a great influence on our opinions. If a celebrity makes a political or social statement, the people following the celebrity will most likely be influenced one way or another. In my opinion someone who has a platform should use their voice for people who can’t. Kaepernick is the perfect example of that. He knows that there are millions of NFL fans that would be watching him take a knee. He knew it would cause a controversy and hopefully get people to talk about something that may make people uncomfortable. 

Featured image by PXhere