Kneel Before Angry Eyes and your Brothers Shall Prosper
Nov 3, 2017
Thousands of spectators surround you, all with cold angry eyes. Locked arm to arm with your brothers, you look up to the crowd through your helmet and listen to the fans that wear your team’s colors, your jersey number, boo you in disagreement and disappointment. As the flag waves it’s last wave, the band plays it’s last note, and the singer sings their last hoorah, you stand up and prepare for kickoff, trying to mute the continuous negativity.
This is what some NFL players and teams have to endure every week during the football season…
How is one supposed to exercise their 1st Amendment of “Free Speech” when anytime you take action against tradition, it is condemned? Why is it so “unlawful” to have a different way of appreciating the flag when it is stated by the supreme court that, “Freedom of Speech includes the right to engage in symbolic speech”? Now here’s the real kicker: if all these fans are so against their NFL team kneeling during the National anthem, why do they stay in the stadium? Why do they cheer when their team scores a touchdown, or intercepts the ball right after they spent a good amount of time booing them?
Many critics of this “kneeling” era say that they boo only because the NFL players and organizations are disrespecting the United States military. However, many have overlooked the fact that some of the military were, and still are, in support of players kneeling and standing up for what they believe in. In multiple social media posts and open letters, diverse branches of the U.S. military showed support for Colin Kaepernick, the first NFL player to kneel during the anthem, by using #VeteransforKaepernick as their slogan of support.
Yes, I do understand our U.S. military deserve more than just our respect as they risk their lives to grant us freedom and protection, but these NFL players, these American civilians aren’t trying to start an uprising against the U.S. military. They are simply trying to voice their opinion on the racial oppression which has no correlation to the U.S. military.
Within the past few years there has been some devastating events that have caused division between Americans. The main focal point being the shooting of young black men and police soldiers. Some of the key characters of these shootings have been Trayvon Martin and Freddie Grey. Since then, professional football players have taken on the initiative to use their publicity to raise awareness. This is their message. This is why they are kneeling. This is in no way, shape, or form an act against the U.S. military.
Overall I believe that you can support the U.S. flag however you would like, whether that be standing or kneeling. The main point is that you are SUPPORTING the flag. Kneeling down during the national anthem does not mean that you are disrespecting the flag or the United States military. It simply means you are trying to raise awareness for something you believe in.
Sam Bodnar ◊ Nov 4, 2017 at 1:02 pm
“a different way of appreciating the flag” They are NOT appreciating it though…
“voice their opinion on the racial oppression” —– your evidence? Police database stats? Crime reports?
“This is in no way, shape, or form an act against the U.S. military.” —– fair qualifier.
Donald ◊ Nov 3, 2017 at 9:02 pm
TBH, I don’t understand why the Sage would even cover this kneeling nonsense. This is old news by now.
Donald ◊ Nov 3, 2017 at 8:59 pm
This is complete nonsense, kneeling during the national anthem is DISRESPECTFUL to the flag, to the military, and to this country. Americans need to realized that people died for the national anthem, the flag, and for this country, and any disrespect against any of this is completely disgusting. People watch the NFL to watch football, not politics. Please don’t mix the two up. The people who are pushing for this kneeling nonsense (AKA the left) are just shooting themselves in the foot by supporting this kneeling garbage. Most Americans believe in the flag and this country, kneeling is just going to alienate the people. This kneeling nonsense is only going to help Trump be more popular. This author of this article is one of the many people that will ensure the left will be kept out of power for a LONG TIME. We will see how Americans really think about this kneeling BS when the GOP will win the governorship of Virginia next Tuesday on November 7, 2017.
Donald ◊ Nov 3, 2017 at 9:08 pm
…Regardless, if anyone disagrees with me, feel free to reply to my comments. And I wish Ed Gillespie the best next Tuesday and I hope the Democrats will regret the choices they have made when they lose the governor seat in New Jersey and Virginia, as we will see on the 7th.
Darius Rahmanian ◊ Nov 3, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Fun Fact: You can burn the American Flag and not get in trouble. What this article lacks is a “diversity” in topic impact and the ability for it to reach more than one point. You do not really cover the cause or its wider impacts as well with the fact many of these police shootings have either been debunked or already been tried in court. Literally no one is debating the fact that they can do this, its just what they are doing seems a tad bit illogical. Football is a sport, not your daily political pundit show. I am pretty sure one would watch football in order to relax and enjoy the game rather than be subject to a poorly executed PR stunt that crashed and burned.
So protest all you want behind fake PR and supposed “unity” when glorifying these events causes even more division than it fixes.
Donald ◊ Nov 3, 2017 at 9:15 pm
I agree with you on this issue (unlike the gun control debate). I truly hope the dumb decisions made by the left will truly hurt them. And this will start with the governor elections in NJ and VA this Tuesday on November 7, 2017. People just don’t seem to understand despite the fact that Trump has low approval ratings, the Democrats have an even lower approval rating in Congress. I wish the GOP the best of luck next Tuesday and in the US Senate election in Alabama this December.