If you have been watching the news, chances are, you have heard about people in the NFL and other major league sports teams kneeling for the flag. Some people believe that the athletes and others have every right to kneel during the anthem, while others think it is completely disrespectful to the country and to vets and active servicemen/women. But has anyone actually taken their time to ask the service men and women how they feel about the ongoing situation instead of assuming that they find it disrespectful? I decided to ask people who I know that are currently serving and have served in any branch of the military the same three questions to see their viewpoints on the topic. (I left names out with respect to their privacy).

Question 1. Do you think people should stand up for the flag during the anthem?

Question 2. Do you think kneeling during the anthem is disrespectful towards our country and service men/ women (active and vets)?

Question 3. Why do you feel this way?

The servicemen and women are described in the following order: Branch of Miliatry, Years of Service, Rank

1. Male, Army Reserves (2 years), E-2

Question 1: "Yes"

Question 2: "I think you should stand and put your hand over your heart when it comes on but I understand why people are kneeling, and (I) understand their side as well. At the end of the day though, I would tell the people who are kneeling to stand up and still put their hand over their heart. They can still have whatever mentality or protest for whatever they are against, you know? Just my opinion lol"

Question 3: "I feel this way because I have listened to some of the people who have taken a knee and listened to their side of the story instead of feeding in on "oh why are they kneeling or forget them people they don't respect our soldiers, etc." I really took the time to hear them out. It goes back to what I said though, I personally think they should stand up and stuff rather than kneeling but maybe that was a way to get attention on the problem. But yeah, I personally think they should stand up although I don't have a problem with why they are taking a knee."

2. Male, Marine Corps (2 years, 4 months), E-4 Corporal

Question 1: "Yes"

Question 2: "The only time you kneel for a flag is when you pass the stars and strips to the deceased’s spouse."

Question 3: "The flag has a history. It represents the American people for who they are. It was raised against the Germans and raised against the Japanese. Both intent to conquer the U.S. It never fell in battle, the blood and tears of the men and woman who lost their lives in the name of a country whose very soul is embedded in the flag that it is currently being burned, stepped on and torn away...If it may be that the nation wants to fall under the rules of a Hammer and Sickle, I’ll gladly stand along the past men and woman and their flag who died to give this nation that absolute freedoms that people take for granted."

3. Male, Army (3 years), Specialist

Question 1: "I think people should do what they need/want to do."

Question 2: "I don’t think that kneeling is disrespectful. I believe people are exercising their right to peacefully protest social injustice and the military helps protect those kinds of rights. I don’t believe we should be telling anyone that they have to stand because that brings in the problem of forced nationalism and you can imagine what that’s like."

Question 3: "I feel this way because I understand why people are protesting and that it in no way is intended to bring disrespect to the military, in fact, a former Green Beret is the man who asked Kaepernick to kneel instead of sitting on the bench."

4. Male, Army (1 year, 5 months), Private First Class

Question 1: "I believe that it’s their choice to stand or not because I believe that people are entitled to their own opinions and have rights but do it for the correct reason"

Question 2: "I do believe it’s a total disrespect to kneel, like I get it’s a protest against police brutality and all that, but understand what the men and women who died for this flag do/ did for you."

Question 3: "I feel this way because people might say “oh they choose this lifestyle”, but at the same time some people don’t have that opportunity and lifestyle and they join the military for a new life, the benefits, and yes some actually join to fight and protect. It breaks me, because I joined to protect the kids I care about, a new lifestyle, and create a tight family of people I can trust with my life and when people kneel it’s basically telling me, actually most of us here to just f**k off, and you don’t care about us."

5. Male, USMC (3 years), Lance Corporal

Question 1: "I fight for the American people’s right to do that. They feel they have been wronged by the government and I have no place to tell them that it’s wrong to feel that way. Our government is very corrupt."

Question 2: "All I’m going to say is I understand both sides of the argument"

Question 3: N/A

5. Male, Army (8 years), Staff Sergeant

Question 1: "In general, yes, I think people should stand for the flag out of respect."

Question 2: "No, I don’t think so. The NFL players doing this have made their reasons for kneeling clear (at least to me) through media interviews and internet articles. For anyone that will listen, they’ve said many times they had no intention of disrespecting military members, and they admire them. Their intent has been hijacked to make it look like they’re unpatriotic and hatefully."

Question 3: "I won’t say I always agree with the players decision personally since in a way they’re protesting me as a police officer and some of the comments I’ve read paint me (us) with a broad brush. I work to step back and try to not be offended & see their point of view (and there are good points). Obviously (I hope) you’ve seen through the past few years that I’m not a racist and don’t support that mentality or line of thinking. I also see that throughout history change doesn’t seem to come from comfortable circumstances. People were angry and pissed during the nonviolent civil rights protests although some of that is glossed over now and people complain it’s never the appropriate time for it. Even though I may not agree with the entire rationale in their protest, I absolutely stand by their right to do so. It’s peaceful, they’re drawing attention to their cause on a grand stage, and have started a conversation.

6. Male, United States Marine Corps (1 Year), Private First Class

Question 1: "Yes and no, because it’s more than just a symbol of the country, it stands for all the people who died and are fighting for what they love and believe in but those people fought so others could make that choice on their own"

Question 2: "Yes and no"

Question 3: "Because we are here to give people the right to choose and follow their own way"

7. Female, Marine Corps (20 years), Staff Sergeant (E-6)

Question 1: "I think people should stand up for the flag…if they want to. Everyone has a constitutional right for freedom of speech, right to a peaceful protest and a right to stand, sit, and kneel to the flag. There is nothing that states, you have to stand, it only states/implies that you ‘should’."

Question 2: "I do not think it is disrespectful to towards our country and active service men/ women and vets to kneel during the anthem. There is nothing stating that anything other than standing for the flag is disrespectful."

Question 3: "We march with the flag, we salute the flag, we raise the flag, some people wear the flag on t-shirts, we put our hands over our hearts to the flag (sitting, standing and kneeling), some people bow their heads and take off their hats, all gave some and some gave all (the ultimate sacrifice) and are buried with the flag draped over their casket, and some stand for the flag. We in the military fight for everyone to have the freedoms of speech and other rights. We kneel to pray and pray for those who have given their lives for this country and those that continue to fight. Kneeling to the flag is not a sign of disrespect, it can also a way to pay homage/appreciation to those who have given so much. It can also be a way to express sadness and anger of all that is happening all over the world. People have the freedom to stand/kneel for what they believe in and a right to silently protest. With everything going on in the U.S. and this world, unnecessary killings of ethnic men, women and kids, racial slurs, etc. and those violators (i.e. rogue cops, court rulings in favor of violators) who get away with such crimes. The flag is the symbol of the United States and it’s also supposed to be a symbol of unity but the way things are going (the feeling of helpless and hopeless)….our country is divided…why not kneel in silent protest, if that is the case. It doesn’t matter to me if anyone kneels towards the flag. If one wants to know why people are kneeling they should ask each individual and not cast any stones assuming they know the reason and making something out of nothing. The below US Code only implies that persons ‘should’ stand, it doesn’t state that it is mandatory. It also doesn’t state that people can’t or shouldn’t kneel."

UNITED STATES CODE

TITLE 36

CHAPTER 10

§177. Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, all persons present except those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart. Those present in uniform should render the military salute. When not in uniform, men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Aliens should stand at attention. The salute to the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.