Comment #2: Colin Kaepernick’s Anthem Protest
In the New York Time’s article, Colin Kaepernick’s Anthem Protest Underlines Union of Sports and Patriotism, the author discusses Colin Kapernick’s protest of the national anthem and also how the national anthem is played at every sporting event. For those of you who don’t know, last Friday, August 19, the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kapernick, sat while the national anthem played to protest against police brutality and racial injustice. In doing this, he created a mixed reaction in the country of part of its citizens applauding him for his efforts and the other half being outraged.
When I was younger I didn’t salute the flag or put my hand over my heart when the national anthem played. My whole family actually didn’t participate in it because of our religion. A lot of people were upset by this and it always made me wonder why; we weren’t hurting anyone or disrupting anyone else’s patriotism so why did it matter. When I heard about Colin Kaepernick’s protest I thought the exact same thing. In a way it’s the same situation, I had a cause for not saluting the flag then and so does he now. He is peacefully protesting in the best way he knows how. People are persecuting him for disrespecting America but isn’t the best way to respect America to practice your rights to try and make it a better place to live for everyone?
I never really realized that the playing of the national anthem before every sporting event was different until I noticed that no other country does it unless it’s for the olympics. Americans sure do love doing it though; it’s a way for people to show their patriotism and respect for those who have fought for the United States. Even though I’m not religious anymore I still feel weird saluting the flag; it almost feels like a cult ritual: putting our hands over our hearts and repeating back in a monotone voice a creed that almost every American knows by heart.
But Colin Kaepernick isn’t the first athlete ever to protest during the national anthem. A lot of athletes have protested the anthem for their causes, most of them protesting black oppression, ironically. In my opinion I agree with what Colin Kaepernick is doing. He is protesting in the best way he can for a cause that means everything to him. If practicing your first amendment supposedly makes you unpatriotic then so be it.