Soldiers fight and die for your freedom, the least you can do is stand for our anthem.
Sydney Ibera| Contributing Writer
Is it just a knee? Is it just a simple knee that you’re putting down to the ground. No, no it’s not. It’s disrespect. It’s the fact that you won’t even stand for a song that’s like less than a minute in honor of the people who fought for you, while you earn millions of dollars and become a celebrity. And sure, I understand that you don’t want to participate in something you don’t believe in, even when it’s that simple, it’s the principle. Though, many NFL football players aren’t aware of what they’re standing and singing for.
We aren’t singing and putting our hand on our hearts for one person in particular, were honoring the unity of all Americans and being thankful for the ones who gave up their lives for us. You can have your opinions about Trump, but this isn’t a dictatorship. The words are “The land of the free and the home of the brave.” It’s talking about our land, our country, not one person. Colin Kaepernick think of Trump as a racist man, who doesn’t appreciate those of color, but how would it make you feel when you realize that there are a multitude of people of color who fight, and you don’t even stand in honor of them. Hypocritical, isn’t it.
On another subject, many of these players make comments about their rights, that aren’t even true. The First Amendment is freedom of speech, it states that you can say what you want about literally anything and you won’t be arrested or be in trouble with the government (as long as you don’t threaten the president). Then, when controversy arises discussing the fact that players might be fired for doing this action (I don’t think it’s happened yet), people get defensive. By law, you can kneel and you definitely won’t be arrested, but your boss can do whatever he wants with you. The NFL could easily tell you to leave, if your talent wasn’t even worth the notorious publicity; this would violate the First Amendment. I mean, that’s like if I were to walk outside of one of my classrooms and yell the “N” word numerous times, maybe even other racist terms, too. There’s a big chance that I would get expelled or suspended. I won’t get arrested because I have freedom of speech but my teacher and other officials in the school definitely have the right to tell me to pack my things and go. And in something like that is where the confusion and controversy lies.
So, after all, it’s more than a knee touching the grass, isn’t it? It’s about what this represents. It’s about how you can show respect for your country, simply by standing. It’s fifty stars, not one.
