The Background on NFL kneeling or standing.
The current debate over kneeling or sitting in protest during the national anthem was ignited by Colin Kaepernick in 2016 and has escalated to become a nationally divisive issue. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first refused to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Aug. 26, 2016 to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. Since that time, many other professional football players, high school athletes, and professional athletes in other sports have refused to stand for the national anthem. These protests have generated controversy and sparked a public conversation about the protesters’ messages and how they’ve chosen to deliver them.
People who support refusing to stand for the national anthem argue that athletes are justified in using their celebrity status to bring attention to important issues, and that refusing to stand for the national anthem is an appropriate and effective method of peaceful protest. People who disagree argue that football games are an inappropriate place to engage in political protest, and that not standing for the national anthem shows disrespect for the country and those who proudly support it, some with their lives.
I label them as Pro Kneel and Stand, even though it is mostly down party lines, there are people on both sides that agree with standing or kneeling.
Pro Kneel
In early 2016, Colin Kaepernick was upset about a large number of unarmed black people being killed by police. He wanted to stand up against a needless force from the police against black people many innocent and some simply stopped for a traffic violation, in contrast, many white people, some like the Colorado Planned Parenthood shooter who was white was captured alive while he was shooting at cops.
Like Tebow, Kaepernick has a deep Christian faith but in America, there are two different schools of thought. One that values personal piety, gentleness, respect for cultural customs such as respect for authority (law enforcement, military, and Presidents…as long as they are Republican at least), and a focus on moral issues like abortion and LGBT, this side is declining in membership according to Pew research and other polls.
Many in this Conservative / Evangelical Christian group feel they are victims of a social/culture war. Examples of war on traditional marriage, the war on Christmas, war on religion or at least their religion, Transgender people are perverts trying to get into the women’s restroom while your daughter or wife is in there, this would be an example of a war on cultural / gender norms. They are more exclusive where you should change your viewpoints and manners to them to fit in. The Progressive Christianity is a growing Christian faith in America that values social justice, community development, racial reconciliation and a strong activism in politics to influence policy to be more inclusive. They see it as we are part of the human family regardless of religion so all should be treated with respect. Colin Kaepernick faith falls on the progressive side that has a strong emphasis on social justice. His faith turned him into an activist and philanthropist.
During the offseason, Kaepernick launched a GoFundMe page to fly food and water into suffering Somalia. It surpassed its $2 million goal in just four days. In March, the plane loaded with essential supplies landed in Mogadishu. He had already pledged to donate $1 million, along with the proceeds of his jersey sales from the 2016 season, to charitable work. Meals on Wheels announced it had received $50,000 from Kaepernick. He joined the charitable organization 100 Suits, to pass out free suits in front of the New York State Parole office for people who have been released from prison and are looking for jobs. Unlike Tim Tebow who is a favorite amongst conservative Christians and white as well as a kneeler too (in the touchdown zone usually or sidelines),
Chris Kaepernick faith is directed towards social justice and solidarity with Black Lives Matter, His body is covered with religious tattoos, including depictions of scrolls, a cross, praying hands, angels defeating demons, terms like “To God be the Glory,” “Heaven Sent,” “God will guide me,” Psalm 18:39 and Psalm 27:3. Social justice is something most evangelical Christians don’t get involved with beyond a mission trip here or there to a poor country so they can feel good about themselves taking photos of themselves with orphans and having a nice new building or giving clothes.
He wanted to use his position in the NFL to bring awareness so he chose to sit in a few pre-season games during the National Anthem. What started out as sitting out the national anthem, he spoke for hours with Eric Reid and a visit from Nate Boyer, a retired Green Beret and former N.F.L. player, we came to the conclusion that we should kneel, rather than sit, the next day during the anthem as a peaceful protest. They chose to kneel because it’s a respectful gesture. A posture was like a flag flown at half-mast to mark a tragedy or like bowing to Royalty. They felt that by kneeling it should respect for the military and country but also is a reminder we have more to do.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “A time comes when silence is betrayal.” And I choose not to betray those who are being oppressed said Eric Reid.
Harry Enten in Five Thirty Eight said “But while these N.F.L. protests may be unpopular right now, particularly with white people, similar protests in the past — involving race, civil rights and varying definitions of patriotism — came to be viewed much more positively after the fact.” Civil rights protests almost always begin as generally unpopular while staged.
President Trump has said many things towards the NFL with one standing out “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired!” but referring to Charlottesville said “You had a group on one side who was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent, and nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now,” he said in August. “You have people who are very fine people on both sides.” Trump’s equivalency was immediately met with criticism as many said he was elevating the morals and views of white supremacist groups (many of whom claim to be socialist) and yet being very harsh towards NFL players who want to seek a better world.
It is because the scales of justice have not been leveled where white people are clearly better treatment by Trump and amongst the police compared to people of color and until then they should continue to kneel. When they have no good reason to kneel is when they should stop. Besides Trump isn’t blameless when it comes to his support of the military, he has insulted Gold Star families, saying to a war window “He knew what he signed up for”, referring to John McCain a POW of 6 years that “He’s not a war hero,” said Trump. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”, banning transgender people from serving in the military who are proud to serve the country because of party politics claiming their very low medical cost is too much but yet they pay exponentially more for Viagra for men.
Back in 1968, at the age of 22, Donald J. Trump seemed the picture of health. He stood 6 feet 2 inches with an athletic build; had played football, tennis, and squash; and was taking up golf. His medical history was unblemished, aside from a routine appendectomy when he was 10. But after he graduated from college in the spring of 1968, making him eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam, he received a diagnosis that would change his path: bone spurs in his heels. He had five draft deferments, four for College and One for bone spurs in the feet. In an interview with The New York Times July of 2016, Mr. Trump said the bone spurs had been “temporary” — a “minor” malady that had not had a meaningful impact on him. He said he had visited a doctor who provided him a letter for draft officials, who granted him the medical exemption. He could not remember the doctor’s name.
In December 2015, his longtime personal physician, Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, announced that Mr. Trump had “no significant medical problems” over four decades and that, if elected, he “will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Dr. Bornstein made no mention of the bone spurs but did note the appendectomy from Mr. Trump’s childhood.
Many politicians on both sides had deferments but it is Trump’s criticism of kneeling football players and Gold Star families while talking about his sacrifices and getting a purple heart from a Veteran and saying he always wanted a purple heart. In interviews, he implies the bone spur was no big deal and he has had perfect health. It shows a pattern of not respecting the Military but then fiercely defending them when it becomes party politics. “I think I’ve made a lot of sacrifices,” Mr. Trump said to Mr. Stephanopoulos in 2016. “I work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot.” So he sees working hard and being successful on a higher level than McCain being a Prisoner of War for 6 years. Let that sink in.
In addition in October 2017, Donald Trump sat and laughed with Fox News host Sean Hannity as the “Retreat” bugle call was played. Tradition dictates that members of the military and civilian leadership stand at attention to respect the U.S. flag during the solemn ceremony. This happened in a hangar at the Air National Guard base in Pennsylvania.While military protocol does not require standing during the Retreat ceremony for those who are indoors, the hangar was open to the outdoors on one side, and Trump appeared entirely ignorant of the military tradition. Trump referred to the bugle call as a “nice sound,” and asked Hannity if they were playing it “in honor of his ratings.”
His exact quote was TRUMP: What a nice sound that is. Are they playing that for you or for me? They’re playing that in honor of his ratings. Did you see how good his ratings are? He’s beating everybody. HANNITY: I think they’ll be higher tonight. I’m just guessing.
As the official Army website notes, playing “Retreat” is “one of the oldest traditions in the U.S. Army, which dates back to the Revolutionary War.” Playing the song is used “to signal the end of the duty day and pay respect to the nation’s flag.” As “Retreat” is played, the Army website explains, “Once the bugle sounds, all personnel driving on the installation should stop. Service members and government civilian personnel are encouraged to turn off their vehicles, and, if safe to do so, exit to render the appropriate honors.” Later in the interview with Hannity he brings up the NFL players and says , “You cannot disrespect our country, our flag, our anthem, you cannot do that.” in a paradoxical hypocritical way considering his actions. In addition, he has been seen in video not saluting the flag while the National Anthem plays multiple times, while those next to him including his wife have their hands over their heart.
During an event at the White House on November 27, 2017, honoring Navajo code talkers Monday, referencing his nickname for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, “Pocahontas,” a label he has long used about the Massachusetts Democrat.
All of this to say, he isn’t blameless when it comes to showing respect himself to have so much anger towards the NFL players that kneel. He spent four days criticizing NFL players and teams on Twitter while not saying anything about Hurricane Maria which at the time of this writing, most of Puerto Rico has been without power for a month and a half. He did well for Texas and Florida but seems to not have his heart in for helping Puerto Rico who are also American citizens while carrying more about the NFL. Trump has asked the NFL to force the players to stand but forced patriotism is not real patriotism. See North Korea, Hiliter and many other authoritarian dictatorships in history and being forced to have love for your country goes against our very nature in America and its ideals of freedom. Freedom isn’t freedom if you are not free to choose.
The Supreme Court Case of West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnett in 1943 ruled that an individual cannot be compelled to participate in the pledge or any other flag salute, nor punished for failing to do so. The Supreme Court kicked the case back to Los Angeles federal judge William Mathes ruled in 1963 that three Jehovah’s Witnesses did not need to stand during the National Anthem at their school. Where is the outrage from people over millions Jehovah’s Witnesses not saying the Pledge of Allegiance or the national anthem? There is a whole page about it in their Watchtower library.
Flag salute. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that bowing down to a flag or saluting it, often in conjunction with an anthem, is a religious act that ascribes salvation, not to God, but to the State or to its leaders. (Isaiah 43:11; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21) One such leader was King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon. To impress the people with his majesty and religious ardor, this powerful monarch erected a great image and compelled his subjects to bow down to it while music, like an anthem, was being played. However, three Hebrews
Pro Standing
Refusing to stand for the national anthem shows disrespect for the flag and members of the armed forces. The national anthem pays respect to the people who have risked their lives, been injured, or died defending the United States. Carole Isham, a great-great-great-granddaughter of the writer of the national anthem (Francis Scott Key) stated that “it just blows my mind that somebody like (Kaepernick) would do what he does to dishonor the flag of this country and the national anthem when we have young men and women overseas fighting for this country, people that have died for this country.” Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback, supported Kaepernick’s message but disagreed with the delivery: “[I]t’s an oxymoron that you’re sitting down, disrespecting that flag that has given you the freedom to speak out.”
According to Title 36 (section 171) of the United States Code:
“During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in (military) uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. “Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. “When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.”
Rosa Parks was a hero. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to give up her seat in the “colored section” to a white passenger. The resulting Montgomery bus boycott changed things and made this country a better place. That was a productive protest.
A very different protest took place when NFL players knelt during the singing of America’s national anthem. It was 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who started the trend last year to protest police brutality.
Some people and groups hold that there is widespread police violence in the U.S. against black and brown people. A study by Harvard African-American Professor Roland Fryer looked at four urban areas in the US, which resulted in what he called, “the surprise” of his career. Despite his expectations, Fryer found that American police officers showed no racial bias when it came to deadly force. However, he did find that police are more likely to be physically rough with black and brown Americans. So, there is a problem that should be addressed. Yet, instead of looking for solutions, protesting by disrespecting our country is foolish for a number of reasons.
- You don’t get respect by showing disrespect.
- Disrespecting our country inflames racial tensions rather than moving towards harmony.
- Studies show there is racial stereotyping (even among minorities) beyond the criminal justice system. The protest does not address the real problem.
- There is peer pressure being put on NFL players to take sides during an activity that should unite them and their fans.
- Sports stars have a great life so why show contempt towards a country that makes it possible?
- This protest actually separated like-minded people. That is a fail!
- Not one single person, behavior or law is changed by football players refusing to stand for the anthem.
- It corrupts the usually fun and patriotic atmosphere before a football game.
- It’s a slap in the face to people who risked their lives for our country or lost loved ones doing so.
- There is no measurable successful outcome.
Dallas and Arizona stood during the anthem and locked arms to show unity. They made a powerful message without disrespecting anyone.
My View
Personally, I stand while fully supporting the cause for which they are kneeling for. I’m not a big sports fan myself but have been at many social events in which football or some other sport was playing and no one and I mean no one in the room got off the couch and stood for the anthem. I’ve seen people with their party trays and beer and just sitting when the anthem goes on.
Why is it that the football players themselves must stand but us folks at home get to sit on the couch while getting mad at those who sit or kneel. This to me seems like a double standard.
I went to school with a Jehovah’s Witness girl who sat down for the Pledge and didn’t take part in most holidays and she was teased some for it but I think many conservatives are offended by the kneeling because many come from military families, some have brothers, dads, grandparents who fought in wars. It is a source of pride for those families so they are sensitive to what could appear as disrespect towards the symbols of their families sacrifice, like the anthem or the Flag.
Kaepernick social justice takes aim at something most conservatives adore, love of authority such as military and law enforcement. To the conservatives, they don’t see a genuine cause for action as Kaepernick wants but a disrespect to the warriors who fight for our freedom and the men in blue who keep us safe. His support of Black Lives Matter doesn’t sit well with most conservatives as they view the Black Lives Matter as violent and a troublemaking group.
I support the pro-kneeling side for their intentions but I do view the result as being counterproductive. They are drawing attention to themselves and not to the causes for which they kneel.
I will personally stand, it is what I feel is right for myself but I will stand in solitary to those like Kaepernick who are trying to make America better.
Sources:
http://www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005323
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/09/24/colin-kaepernick-vs-tim-tebow-a-tale-of-two-christianities-on-its-knees/?utm_term=.9b49e4fd1aa9 h
ttp://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/opinion/colin-kaepernick-football-protests.html
Taking a knee: What Jehovah’s Witnesses, NFL players have in common