Recently, there has been yet another recurrence of a deeply politicized and controversial issue in America: kneeling during the national anthem in protest. This entire debate started last year when San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat down during the Star-Spangled Banner at a preseason game, then kneeled during the anthem on September 1, 2016, alongside teammate Eric Reid.
The reason for these actions, Kaepernick later addressed, was to protest police brutality against communities of color and support the Black Lives Matter movement. He would not stand until what national spirit the anthem represented was applicable to everyone in America. Others soon followed suit from multiple other NFL teams, either kneeling themselves or raising fists in protest.
The backlash of this protest, as one can imagine, was brutal and unforgiving. Kaepernick received multiple death threats and was hated for his actions because many people believed that what he was doing was a disrespect to those who had fought and died in the military for our freedoms. He received disagreement from the NFL as well, many executives were very vocal about their disagreement with his tactics. Kaepernick quickly became one of the most hated people in America.
Even those who agreed with him suggested that he had taken the wrong approach to starting the conversation, but Kaepernick kept kneeling at every game in the 2016 season. He believed this was the most effective way to produce the conversation (it turned out he was right). At the end of the season, Kaepernick disconnected from the 49ers and became a free agent. He was not picked up by an NFL team for the 2017 season.
Now, in 2017, this issue has swiftly escalated again, this time with a very opposing reaction. President Trump recently made a comment against Kaepernick while campaigning during an Alabama special election, calling the former quarterback and everyone who protested last year a “son of a bitch” for not standing up during the national anthem. This quickly down spiraled into backlash against the President from many players, executives, and owners affiliated with the NFL. This time, though, they were in support of taking a knee.
On September 24, 2017, scores of NFL teams across the country kneeled in protest, some alongside the owners of the team, some before the national anthem. The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t even come to the field before the anthem in protest. This is all in support of freedom of protest and speech against a president who is willing to engage in petty fighting whenever he picks up his phone, and that is a good cause in its own right. In a society where the nature of freedom of speech has been called into question, this is a refreshing turn of events.
There is a problem with using this method, though: Kaepernick wasn’t protesting the national anthem or the flag. He was protesting a specific set of injustices against a specific minority in America, and that intention has been watered down to suit the NFL.
This action is more than a little hypocritical, as the same organization who deeply criticized Kaepernick last year are doing the same thing he did, only to fit their own purposes. This movement has seemed to undertake a near-commercial value, while the fundamental reasons are being whitewashed.
Kneeling itself is not the issue.
As the child of parents who have both been in the military for more than 20 years, it is my perception the act of kneeling does not disrespect those who have fought and died for this country; it acknowledges their sacrifice while speaking on an issue that applies to all of us.
We should all care enough about our country to want it to be a place where Kaepernick would be proud to stand for the anthem, and where violence against people of color was not a norm within our society. Instead, the majority of the nation rose against him in anger, which says a lot about how we value the opinions of those trying to improve our society. There is nothing bad in peaceful protest, there is nothing bad in wanting better for our country.
Going into the second round of this widespread debate, remember Kaepernick’s original intentions. Listen to those around you with dissenting opinions, and don’t meet protest with anger and hatred. Keep your heart open and don’t allow yourself to not care about others in this country, it is theirs too, and they have a right to voice their beliefs just as you do.