The American flag and national anthem are symbols of unity, freedom, and sacrifice. They represent the values and principles the United States was founded upon. In recent years, the act of kneeling during the national anthem has become a controversial issue. Some people believe kneeling is appropriate and justified, while others strongly believe it is disrespectful. Drew Brees, former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, spoke out in saying, “‘Not just those in the military, but for that matter, those throughout the civil rights movements of the ‘60s, and all that has been endured by so many people up until this point. And is everything right with our country right now? No, it is not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do …show more content…
There are many ways to protest for personal beliefs without resorting to kneeling during the national anthem. For example, all athletes and public leaders can speak out against injustice through social media platforms. They can organize events and raise awareness if they feel passionate about something. These actions show commitment to positive change and demonstrate how we can stand strong for our country. Police brutality and racial inequality are current topics leading to protests. Some NFL teams even were involved in the “Take a Knee” Movement for reasons like these starting in 2016. Though these things are happening in our country, it doesn't mean we aren’t working on them and supporting them in turn. That also doesn’t mean our country is in the right spot, or can’t improve in the future. By working together towards positive change and standing united, we can strive for a better future for all and respect America. While social issues should be discussed and everyone is entitled to exercise their freedom of speech, we can’t forget who paved the way for us to have those freedoms in the first place (“The …show more content…
Kneeling during the national anthem is not only disrespectful to the flag and the country, but also to those who have fought and sacrificed for our freedoms. Standing with your hand over your heart during the national anthem shows respect for the sacrifices made by our military forces and shows unity as a nation. Kneeling during the national anthem undermines the noble cause for which they fought. We should honor our nation's symbols and traditions, and show appreciation for those who have given so much to protect them. The national anthem is an opportunity to come together as a nation, and kneeling while it only serves to divide us. It’s about honoring the people who served and committed to our country, some who even made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives for our nation. When we stand, that's what we should be standing for (Flaherty). The national anthem symbolizes patriotism, sacrifice, and freedom, representing everyone and everything that supports our nation. Kneeling during the national anthem sends a message that we reject these values and do not respect the beliefs of our great
First of all, kneeling the National Anthem is an ineffective and, counterproductive way to promote a cause. Knelling for the National Anthem isn't going to change anything besides lowering the rates on TV and getting negative comments online. Football coach Dabu Swinney said "I don’t think it's good to be a distraction to your team. I don’t think it's good to use your team as the platform." Patti Armstrong States that" you don’t get respect from showing disrespect." Philadelphia Eagles support the protest but disagree with the way he did so. Kneeling for the National Anthem is not a proper way to protest police brutality for colored ("Refusing"). These are some of the few reasons kneeling for the national anthem is an ineffective way of protesting.
The issue of being unpatriotic during the National Anthem was raised by people when NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the national anthem before a preseason game. Later, Kaepernick addressed the media by saying this act was a stance against “police brutality on people of color”. By raising the
If you are a big football fan then you might have noticed at the beginning of the season,that a player for the San Francisco 49ers, did not stand for the national anthem. The player's name is Colin Kaepernick. To some it might not have been a big deal, but to others it was a major controversy. They couldn't understand why Kaepernick did not stand for the anthem. From an online article by Steve Wyche, Kaepernick explains why he didn't stand for the anthem. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." () Kaepernick is referring to all the police shooting of African Americans that have been happening. Since Kaepernick started sitting out for the anthem others in the NFL and in other sports have also started to sit out for the anthem. The issue starts with the black
This case study tells us that the varied perceptions of every individual in a team will give rise to communication barriers (perceptual barriers). Fear, opportunism and mistrust also stops us from communicating effectively with our co-workers (emotional barriers). Knowlton Roberts is collaborative team leader and hardworking man. He is insecure and he generally don’t reveal those insecurities with his boss or team. Dr. Harold is the Director of research and supervisor of Roberts’s team. He has very high expectations of his group and he is not attentive to his team. Rankle is a new comer who is brilliant, aggressive, opportunist and not a team player.
How do Americans feel about kneeling in protest during the national anthem? That’s a simple answer, the views are diverse and opinionated all around. You have your right to voice your opinion however, this concept seems to daunt many as they seem to forget that, in this case, kneeling as a form of protest is an exercise of our free speech and therefore should be accepted as such. President Donald Trump is guilty of stating he’s a man of the people but feels the need to disdain many unheard voices by using offensive and hurtful commentary like, “Get that son of a b---h off the field right now! He's fired!” (Tennessean- Lowary, J) Unaware of the reasoning behind every player’s protest, Trump continues to berate his own people in more ways than
It is disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem because it disrespects the military and veterans, and could be done in a more professional way. I feel that kneeling shows how unappreciative those NFL players are. They get to go play the most popular sport in America for millions of dollars. There should be some consequences from taking this action. This protest could be done in a more professional way.
Kneeling During the National Anthem You have probably seen the debate across the news covering the controversial protest of kneeling during the National Anthem. This protest has stirred up conversation throughout the nation. Is kneeling during the anthem an appropriate way to protest? Supporters think that the celebrities are smart by using their fame to bring attention to America’s problems, but others think that football games are not the appropriate place to focus on politics.
Why should we stand for the pledge of allegiance? Because of the veterans who died for us? Because they fought for what we call “freedom”? I personally don’t think it should be a requirement for school.
The Star Spangled Banner is a sacred song in the United States of America. It not only is a symbol of the fight that soldiers have had to go through, but also a representation of freedom. When the National Anthem plays out of respect for our country, and those who fought for it, everyone is supposed to stand and remove their hats. Currently in the National Football League (NFL) there is a handful of players, mainly African Americans, that have been taking a knee or raising a fist during the play of our National Anthem. This I believe, is a great sign of disrespect for our country and our veterans. This I believe, is very immature and unnecessary. This I believe, should be put to a stop by the NFL and the players should be ashamed of himself for doing this. I am aware that the players have the right to do this, but there are many reasons why this should not be taking place.
Lately, everyone has seen or commented on Kaepernick kneeling the National Anthem. There are non-supporters like Stephen Duncombe defines Kaepernick protest as “Ethical Spectacle, [a] strategic use of a symbol, sign or gesture to seek a cultural shift” (Jenkins). Supporters like Mat Bonesteel of The Washington Post states “[Kaepernick] protest could have sparked needed conversations on … subjects: [such as] on the treatment of black Americans… on patriotism’s place in society; on the importance of symbols” (Gass). Colin Kaepernick should continue kneeling because he shows patriotism, awareness on subjects like freedom of speech. Also, the difficult African Americans has protesting for equalities.
Like any other country America has national symbols such as the American Flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the “Start Spangled Banner.” To be an American means that you support these things to fullest extent and hold them in the highest regard. This means that When the National Anthem is played or the Pledge of Allegiance is recited, it is our duty as Americans to stand, remove our hats and cover our hearts as a sign of the utmost respect. These symbols are a sign of our heritage. They stand for what we believe in, who we are, and where we come from. We are Americans. We believe in life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. True Americans speak the national language, English, and know that America is a one of a kind country that cannot be beat. We have worked hard over the years to become the wealthiest and the most prosperous country in the entire world. As Americans we have the right to drive a Hummers, the right to live in luxurious houses, because after all we’...
Starting in kindergarten, we have allocated thirty seconds of every morning to reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I remember hearing the announcement that we were going to do the Pledge soon, and sighing because I had to stand up and perform this “boring” task. As a little kid, I didn’t know what the Pledge of Allegiance really meant or why we had to do it. All I knew is that we would be performing the monotonous, fancy sounding, thirty-one worded stanza daily. While it was against the law for teachers to force us to say the Pledge, it was expected. This “patriotism” was assumed of us at a young age. It was givin with the mindset that we were the best country that should be loved.
However, a very peeved Donald Trump immediately attacked the players, calling them “Son-of-a b****es.” He made the news viral, and insisted that they should be sacked because they were deliberately disrespecting the flag and the people who died for it. (Emma Lake, “Football Protest. Take a knee—why are NFL players kneeling during the U.S. national anthem and what is the row with Donald Trump all about?”)
To stand or not to stand is the question that has been presented to every United States citizen in response to the decision to kneel during the national anthem by former NFL San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. However, there is more than what meets the eye in terms of the effects of Kaepernick's actions. Kaepernick decision to kneel was rooted in protest of racial injustices along with recent and past events of police brutality. While many find that Kaepernick's actions are justified and even legal, others believe that it is disrespectful towards this nation and could even be illegal, the real problem here is the tension and division that is deepening the divide in a nation that prides itself on being united. While Kaepernick's
Some people might take offense, but at this point in time, blacks are the center of racism. Recently, the NFL football players have started kneeling during the national anthem. In my opinion, I think it’s a great way to show emotion. Personally, I hate standing or saying the national anthem.