Whether sports fans or not, most of us have been hearing a great deal abounds on Colin Kaepernick's having taken a knee during the playing of the National Anthem. While NFL officials have borderline black-listed players across various teams that have peacefully protested during these ceremonies, commentators on all sides seem to have patriotism and nationalism confused into a outrage which reeks of fascism.
Obviously the National Anthem as well as the flag are respected and revered symbols in our lives as citizens but there is no Constitutional Law that prevents someone from taking a knee during the playing of the National Anthem. Critics of these players routinely mention veterans having fought and died for this country and thus the National Anthem must be respected; but those same veterans died for our very right NOT to participate in the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, or even in saluting the flag. The First Amendment is one of the few amendments most Americans are relatively familiar with, yet we more often than not only apply it to ourselves and not those with whom we disagree. Colin Kaepernick, his teammate Eric Reid and other players across the board have a constitutional right to protest as they have been; and frankly it's ludicrous that they are being demonized for standing up against institutional racism alongside police brutality.
We as Americans have trouble when it come to recognizing our faults, but the truth is despite our many successes we have and ultimately continue to make some of the same mistakes that have plagued this nation since it's birth. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness/property were to be guaranteed to all Men, but the political reality was that these things were indeed guaranteed but on a basis determined by skin pigmentation.
Sometimes the greatest of heroes are those that lead us to recognize flaws both external but also those that are internal. From Martin Luther's 95 Theses bolted to All Saint's Church in Wittenberg, to Martin Luther King Jr's enormous work in advancing the Civil Rights Movement which officially ended in 1968 but arguably continues to live on today; Historically speaking we as human beings rarely listen to the words and lessons of great voices until long after they have been silenced. Let ours be the voice of reason, and not a voice composed of hate and fear.
