Colin Kapernick’s protest against police brutally has started a trend that many other athletes around the globe have decided to participate in. People have decided to join Kapernick as they want to express their freedom of speech and displeasure with social injustice. The problem is many athletic directors have begun threatening student athletes with possible suspensions if they wish to remain seated during the national anthem. Should athletes be able to express their freedoms or should the athletic directors have a say in the actions their athletes take?

While the athletic directors should have certain rules and regulations regarding athletes, I personally think any pertaining to freedom of speech should not be in place. An article, “Many Young Athletes Joining Colin Kapernick’s National Anthem Protest," by Marcio Jose Sanchez of the Associated Press, has been following the effect of Kapernick’s protest. In states where football is a top priority, such as Alabama, many players have reported harassment. Mary Boyle, superintendent of the Catholic Schools Diocese of Camden, New Jersey informed staff that players failing to “demonstrate appropriate respect” would face punishment. Since the intuition is a private school, they have more control and can choose to enforce any rules they want. Kapernick on the other hand, has had the opportunity to play football every week since the incident without any punishment.

This issue has divided the nation, but many people fail to realize the root cause of the issue. Kapernick has decided to protest the national anthem as a retaliation against police brutality. Some people find this offensive under the impression that Kapernick is disrespecting the soldiers that work hard every day to protect this country. This however is not his intention, as many soldiers have even come out supporting Kapernick’s decision suggesting one of the important freedoms they fight for is freedom of speech.

Also an interesting finding has been added to the question by sports analyst Steven A. Smith on ESPN. Until recently, players have not been allowed on the field for the national anthem. So what changed that? According to Smith, “The players were moved to the field during the National Anthem because it was seen as a marketing strategy to make the players look more patriotic. The United States Department of Defense paid the NFL $5.4 million between 2011 and 2014, and the National Guard $6.7 million between 2013 and 2015 to stage on-field patriotic ceremonies as part of military recruitment budget-line items." This changes the dynamic of the issue as it exposes the greed that the NFL has become a part of in an attempt to make their athletes look better. Essentially, this whole issue could have potentially been avoided if a ‘political correct’ view didn’t influence the NFL’s decision.

Professional athletes have come out publicly, supporting Kapernick both verbally and through actions of following his lead. The problem is, many younger athletes will mimic professionals while being unaware of the repercussions. So if you are an athlete thinking of remaining seating during the national anthem, think twice. While technically there is nothing wrong with remaining seated, it could lead to harassment and create a hostile environment. Yet if you are passionate about your rights, you should most definitely exercise your freedom. Protesting has been one of the main reasons for change in this country’s history. Protests are a good way to gain attention of a group of people as it suggests that there are many people that feel this change is necessary within a community. Personally, I believe more people should remain seated for the national anthem. A person can still be patriotic, but they just feel the country in which they live in is not as great as it seems. Thus, you should join by taking a seat.

The main issue here is being overshadowed largely in part by the media. Kapernick wants to highlight police injustice. That is truly his only cause, yet this issue has evolved and is now way more complicated than it needs to be. Some good has come out of it as some light has been shed on police brutality, but overall, negativity has prevailed. Getting back to the root cause of highlighting social injustice should be pushed to the forefront. Kapernick, as with all professional players, can influence a large group of people and can help make a change in the world. This is if their issues are not manipulated by the media to fit a certain agenda. The Kapernick effect has begun and will continue to spread, for better or worse.