I rarely pay attention to anything in the sports world. When everyone is ecstatic about game day, I tend to either show very vague interest in our home teams or simply treat the day as nothing special. That being said, the recent events surrounding sports leagues and President Trump's comments about kneeling during the National Anthem have piqued my interest.
News pundits from all sides have chimed in on the issue. You have one side defending Trump's comments, arguing that he stood for America when its own citizens disrespected it. On the other side, you have those defending the protests, saying that they have the constitutional right to express their issues.
The act of kneeling during the National Anthem became famous thanks to NFL star Colin Kaepernick. He argued that he should not have to stand for a nation that does not stand for him or people like him. This is in response to African Americans and other minorities not receiving equal justice when it comes to the law (i.e. police brutality) and opportunities to succeed in society.
As much as I understand the outrage by the act of 'taking the knee', it is constitutionally acceptable for them to do so. This is what our soldiers fight for; the right to freedom of speech and the right to protest. Better yet, this is a peaceful protest! No one has been injured, no property was destroyed. Morale may be hindered, but we will work towards regaining it. Americans, famous or not, rich or poor, are able to protest. Those that are famous have a platform to speak as they please on certain issues. We may not like what they have to say, but that is a perk of freedom. At the end of the day, they are still Americans with, for the most part, legitimate concerns. They should be able to express said concerns.
When these viewpoints are considered, the issue boils down to how one conceives the American flag. What does this flag stand for? And who does it represent? Many Americans have been raised on the idea of America being a place of freedom and opportunity. To them, this freedom does not discriminate against race, gender, and so forth. To those that side with Kaepernick, this freedom is only meant for a certain group (white Americans). To them, minorities either have to work twice as hard to achieve the American dream, or are barred from achieving it all together.
All of this said, I must admit: As a young black American male, I can comfortably say that the flag does represent me.
I cannot claim oppression when I've been given every opportunity to succeed for as long as I can remember. I cannot claim any of these, because I have not experienced it myself.
Some may look at this and say 'It's not about you'. Or just because I haven't experienced it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. I wholeheartedly agree with these points. I have no problem admitting that I have lived a privileged life so far. Because of that, I am using my field as a way to provide opportunities to those who have not had a privileged life. However, I am tired of feeling like I should live every day of my life as an oppressed and fearful human being. Why is it that every time we turn on the news, we are often told by these commentators and political figures how oppressed we are? Do we even think about how this will affect the generations that come after us?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for fighting injustice. I’m all for fighting against racism especially. It’s good to inform the next generation of the past. My concern though, is how they will move forward. How do we expect them to move forward if we are only speaking fear into their lives?
