This past weekend 250 NFL players took a knee during the National Anthem. This was in reaction to a previous statement made by President Trump, which was directed towards Colin Kaepernick and those that joined him in protesting last season.
The actions of these players brought about an array of reactions from the American people; some people felt as though the players were exercising their First Amendment right to shine light on an inherent issue and others felt as though kneeling during the National Anthem is a sign of disrespect towards our flag, our country, and the men and women that fight to protect our freedom.
Before reading the rest of this article I ask of you to put yourself in the shoes of an African American or minority in this country. It is a reality that we (I as a white American) can be sympathetic to but will never be able to fully understand what they endure on a daily basis as a minority in American society. So many of us choose to go through life with our blinders on. We live out our day to day lives only concerned with ourselves and the issues that directly affect us and that where we, as Americans, go so wrong.
Instead of coming out and stating your opinion on the players kneeling during the national anthem, it is important to first look at the significance of their actions. The players in the NFL, like other athletes who have come before them, are protesting the systemic racism and police brutality towards minorities in this country.
These players are using their celebrity status to start a national conversation about the inherent injustices towards minorities in America. Stating that the NFL Players kneeing during the National Anthem is a sign of disrespect is merely a diversionary tactic. It is a refusal to acknowledge the inherent flaws in our country's institutions. It is a reflection of one’s inability to look outside of oneself and recognize issues that affect their fellow Americans.
In an interview with Eric Reid, he explains why he and Colin Kaepernick decided to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem. The two men sought to draw attention to the issue of police brutality and systemic racism in our country in the most respectful way possible.
If the players intended to disrespect the flag they would not be kneeling. Kneeling is a sign of reverence. NFL players came together that Sunday as a unified front to convey an important message with no intent of disrespect.
So, shouldn't we all take a knee? Instead of criticizing the actions of these NFL players, we should take a more productive approach. Why don't we take part in the national conversation that they are trying to start?
We should begin discussing how we are going to go forward in addressing this systemic issue. It is time that Americans come together under a united front and begin to address inherent and reoccurring issues within our country. We must actively seek to look outside of ourselves and confront the reality that fellow Americans face daily.
We all live in a nation in which we have yet to achieve liberty and justice for all. We have come a long way as a nation, but our work is nowhere near finished.
