Athletes across the nation are taking a stand… by not standing. After NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the “Star Spangled Banner” in 2016, it exploded into a nationwide debate. Since then, many other athletes have also started protesting during the national anthem. The protests have sparked a flurry of both support and opposition, with some praising athletes for being brave enough to publicly take a stand for what is right, and others harshly criticizing athletes and labeling them as brattish and disrespectful. Some have even gone as far as sending death threats. Making it mandatory for athletes to stand may seem like a simple solution, but it comes with its own set of problems. Requiring athletes to stand for the national anthem, …show more content…
Steve Wyche reported Kaepernick's explanation for why he won't stand during the national anthem,” I am not going to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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.” Most other athletes who have protested have also done so for similar reasons. Police brutality and social injustice are terrible issues that negatively impact America. People aren't being held accountable, and athletes are trying to push forward the message that this needs to change, and that we need to open our eyes to the violence around us. The people who scream out against athletes not standing for the anthem often become silent about the actual issues being protested against, and they only contribute to the problem. These protests are in no way “a protest of the American flag” like the White House “has repeatedly attempted to rebrand” them as (Mindock 2), and they are not unpatriotic either. These athletes understand what the flag and the anthem truly represent: America's resolve for a united nation that will serve its people. When the USA is not living up to those ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all, it is the responsibility of the people to speak up and remind the government of its duty. Athletes are not refusing to …show more content…
All the controversy only goes to show how when an athlete refuses to stand for the national anthem, it shocks people into paying attention and creates conversation. The debate has continued as additional athletes, inspired, have joined the protest. The issues being protested against, such as police brutality, are often avoided, but the controversy of these protests has brought these issues front and center. Athletes who did not stand protest for the millions of voiceless and forgotten men, women, and children will never have the opportunity to vocalize of tyranny they must face. Of course, all this attention obviously takes a toll on the team, at least according to some. Trent Dilfer, as reported by Cam Inman, is one of these people, claiming Kaepernick, an athlete who kneeled, “chose the time we're all the sudden he became the center of attention…. And it's torn at the fabric of the team.” However, members of Kaepernick’s team have ironically responded at the national anthem protests have actually brought them closer as a team. Attempting to get a crucial message across by protesting compels people to come together and work towards one goal, allowing teammates to be connected not just on the field, but off the field as well. Not standing for the anthem is a silent yet powerful action that brings attention to the unheard and helps bring us together to fight for one