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Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem: Top 3 Pros and Cons
The idea of kneeling during the anthem is split between two main ideas such as it being brave and showing freedom or being unpatriotic and disrespectful towards the flag, as well as other smaller ideas. But for some they see as kneeling during the anthem as such a bad decision. And for others, they see it as a great way to stand up for what they believe in and use their freedom. In the article, "Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem: Top 3 Pros and Cons", they make the say, "Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback, supported Kaepernick's message but disagreed with the delivery: "[I]t's an oxymoron that you're sitting down, disrespecting that flag that has given you the freedom to speak out." This was one of the cons mentioned in the article, because what kaepernick did, was disrespect the flag, but the flag does not resemble the actions being made by some police officers. The flag resemble the men and women who have fought for the United States, to get us the freedom we have today. Also in the article they say, "NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell originally disagreed with those actions, but later praised what he called a movement from protest to progress: "I truly respect our players wanting to speak out and change the community... We want them to use that voice." This side of the protest shows that people are respecting the decision these athletes are making, because they are expressing their freedom and showing the younger people watching or just anybody to stand up for what they believe in. Many people have followed after another, by kneeling during the anthem, or chosing to stay in the locker room while it is playing.
procon.org -
College football player cut from team for kneeling during national anthem
On a Saturday afternoon, during a division three football match up, Albright College sophmore, Gyree Durrant took a kneel prior to the game during the anthem. These actions he made are what got him cut from the team. Apparently the team made a pact that if any players wanted to kneel, then they would kneel during the coin toss, but stand with their hand on their heart during the playing of the national anthem. But Durrant did not follow that plan which broke trust between his teammates. In the article, "College football player cut from team for kneeling during national anthem”, by Natalie Musumeci, sophmore Powells teammates said. “We trusted him throughout the week, after time and time again he told us he would stand,When you can’t have a player on a team that you can trust, he’s got to go.” Powells response had to do with him believing what he did was right, because he was sticking up for his opinion and standing up for what he believes in. Many sports team professional as well as lower leagues have not made the decision to cut the people who decide to kneel during the anthem just recently, the Dallas Cowboys manager said that he would bench any player that would take a knee during the anthem. Not many sports team have took it upon themselves to cut the player who protested, from the team. This cut from a division three college has opened the eyes of many athletes and organizations such as the NFL who made a comment in the article, "College football player cut from team for kneeling during national anthem", their statement was, "Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem,” noting “it is an important moment in our game.” These protests for kneeling during the anthem, have grown so much since Kaepernick decided to take a knee. The protests have made the professional teams such as the NFL and other professional or lower league sports, think about the precautions or accusations they should make because of these protests.
nypost.com -
High school refs walk out of football game after players stage national anthem protest
Many people know about the protes of whether or not athletes should stay standing or kneel during the anthem. This conflict has been a reoccuring thing in the NFL, but now it has led to lower leagues like high school. Recently, during a high school football game, two refs left before the game started, because they saw some athletes kneeling during the playing of the national anthe. In the article, "High school refs walk out of football game after players stage national anthem protest", by Kevin Skiver , the refs responded with this statement, ""Anybody that disrespects the flag, in my eyes, it's not right," the 18-year official said. "What they are doing with this kneeling and everything, they have the right do to that, but the national anthem has nothing to do with them kneeling. The flag has got nothing to do with why they are protesting. If they want to protest, let them protest, but don't disrespect our country, the flag and the armed forces." Many people agree with the refs that people should not kneel, because it is disrespectful towards the flag and troops, but some of the same people agree that the refs leaving before the game started, was not right. On the other hand, other people feel that people should be able to express their opinions the way they want, because it is their freedom. In the same article, "High school refs walk out of football game after players stage national anthem protest", a coach of the team responded like this, "You don't know why they're kneeling and that's the problem," he said. "The same people who are so adamant, like this guy, who is so adamant about expressing how upset and frustrated he is by it, is the same guy that doesn't want to see why the kid is kneeling in the first place." Both coaches from the two teams, agree that the refs should not judge the kids decisions to express their opions the way they want. The refs also took away the kids game, because of lack of refs, which took away the kids oppertunity to do what they are passionate about.
cbssports.com -
Megan Rapinoe says she's kneeling during anthem because she has 'utmost respect' for flag
During September, 2016, US womens national team player, Megan Rapinoe, took a knee during the playing of the national anthem in return to support NFL player, Colin Kaepernick. Megan Rapinoe kneeling during the anthem, did not cause as much contorversy to the people, unlike when Colin Kaepernick did it prior to a football game. Although in the article, "Megan Rapinoe says she's kneeling during the anthem because she has 'utmost respect' for the flag", by Nina Mandell, they state, "Last month, the owner of the Washington Spirit played the national anthem early to avoid allowing rapinoe to be on the field while it was played." This statement was not the only team, or people that it brought an issue too. After many people on social media and news publicist commented on her making the decision to kneal, Megan Rapinoe came out with this statement, from the same article as before,"Megan Rapinoe says shes knealing during anthem because she has 'utmost respect' for the flag", by Nina Mandell. The response is, " I have chosen to kneel because not two miles from my hotel in Columbus, Ohio, on the night before our USWNT match against Thailand, a 13-year-old boy named Tyre King was fatally shot by a police officer. I have chosen to kneel because I simply cannot stand for the kind of oppression this country is allowing against its own people. I have chosen to kneel because, in the words of Emma Lazarus, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” Megan rapinoe feels the reason that she refused to stand, was to support Kaepernick, as well as African American rights.
ftw.usatoday.com -
Athletes, activists spar on kneeling National Anthem protests
Ever since the 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, took a knee during the anthem, prior to their game vs Greenbay, many proffesional team, individual player, as well as staff have joined in to support Kaepernick and the issue he is trying to speak out on needs to be fixed. Trump has spoke out on multiple occasions via twitter, instagram, and other social media platforms. In the article, "Athletes, activists spar on kneeling National Anthem protests", by Sophie Tatum, Trump makes the comment, "Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!" When more and more games happen, more people are knealing, and Trump does not want the fans of these teams and player to support the decisions these athletes are making. Many sports fans and analysts, agree with Trump that the NFL should put a stop to the knealing during the anthem. Many athletes that are making the decision to kneal are doing so, because they do not want to rely on social media to resolve the issue. In the article, they talk about how originally, Kaepernick wanted to sit during the anthem, but a former US Green Beret, informed him that if he was going to make the decision to not stand, then he should kneal rather than just sitting.
cnn.com -
Colin Kaepernick explains why he sat during national anthem
Before a game vs Greenbay during the 2016-2017 season, the quarterback of the 49ers, Colin Kaepernick, took a knee during the playing of the national anthem. In the article, "Colin Kaepernick Explains Why He Sat During The Anthem", by Steve Wyche, they claim that Kaepernick made the decison to kneel during the playing of the anthem after seeing how many African American men and women are getting killed by police officers because of the color of their skin. Kaepernick feels that the African American community is not geting to express the freedoms, that the country shows pride in having, like others can. The NFL organization does not have a rule for players to stand during the anthem. The sentence, " The NFL also released a statement obtained by NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport:" Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem.", shows that the NFL is not reposible for the people knealing during the anthem.
nfl.com
