While “The Star-Spangled Banner” may have more of a military theme than other anthems (though not France’s), it should be understood that it has meaning beyond the relentlessly adulatory pageantry of the NFL and other leagues.
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There is one name I keep seeing despite not following ESPN or Sports Illustrated on Twitter and Facebook, and that name belongs to San Francisco 49’er Colin Kaepernick.
The NFL needs to make it mandatory that the players stand for the National Anthem and put their hands over their hearts.
Orange County school district officials in Florida said students must have parents’ permission to kneel during the national anthem at sporting events, WFTV reported.
Kaepernick has grabbed the baton since then with his protest, which is gaining support.
“I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed”, Kaepernick told the media recently about his national anthem demonstration.
“To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way”. Kaepernick elaborated on his point and connected it to the Black Lives Matter movement by saying, “There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder”.
There have been mixed reactions to the protest.
Wednesday night’s premiere episode of the Comedy Central cartoon’s 20th season focused on a protest of the anthem by elementary school children. Whether the jerseys are worn to show support, as carried out by rapper J. Cole, or burned in outrage, Kaepernick is donating the jersey sales to communities in need, per ESPN.
Athletes not only risk losing fans with their expression of protest, but many athletes risk losing sponsors. Colin Kaepernick’s stance on the anthem serves as a quick reminder for those who remember what Abdul-Rauf did.
Garfield High School football coach Joey Thomas said the main focus for him is the game. I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about.
As fresh as that pain seems today, it also seems a number of National Football League players are numb to it, including our own Seahawks. As long as student protests aren’t seen as “threatening”, students are likely within their rights to engage in political expression, according to the ACLU.
“I decided I’d stand for them”, he told the Chronicle. Model Kate Upton called the players’ protest disgraceful.
He can take his offensive and disrespectful socks with him. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do in my life is to take a knee and listen to these conversations”.
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On September 4, star soccer player Megan Rapinoe, member of the Seattle Reign and USA women’s Olympic team, knelt in solidarity before her team’s game against the Chicago Red Stars.
