Sports are dominating today's headlines, but for reasons that are different than one would assume. More and more professional players are choosing to kneel, sit and even remain inside locker rooms during the National Anthem in protest of President Trump and his words during a rally.
Everyone has a right to protest, but there is such a thing as protesting incorrectly and inefficiently. We do have the right to kneel before the flag, but should we?
What is to be gained besides negative media attention and trying to prove yourself against higher authority?
Brandon Tatum posted a video on Facebook that went viral, in which he discussed a very valid point to this new form of protest. View this video here.
He quotes, "The issues they are talking about have nothing to do with the flag, you can address those issues on another venue. If you really care about black lives, you don't need to be taking a knee. You need to be out there doing something in the community. If you care about laws and oppression, you need to be voting. You need to be putting yourself in a position to help pass legislation. Do something about it."
He also adds, "What has happened since Colin Kaepernick took the first knee? Has unemployment changed in the black community? Has black on black crime changed? Have police stopped shooting black people? Tell me what has changed."
No matter how you feel about our current state as a country, the reason you are sitting there reading this right now is credited to the millions of men and women who have sacrificed so much so that you may live, and work and have a family and have the rights that you do now.
There are so many other ways to protest for your beliefs. The national anthem is just a few short minutes of your time where you should stand on your feet and think of all those who died in service to this country in which you are a citizen of.
I stand for my grandpa, my aunt, my uncle and many more in my family, all who have risked their lives in protecting this country. I stand for the millions of Americans who die fighting for freedom every year. I stand for the people that those brave men and women have left behind, those who may never see their loved ones again.
I stand for the many values and strengths of this country, and to not stand is to disrespect everything that has been hard fought and solely won.
Please, stand with me. Show respect where respect is due, and direct your political anger towards the source.
