Patriotism

Trent Schwartz

Over the last few years, one of the most controversial topics has been 49ers player Colin Kapernick kneeling before the national anthem to protest police brutality towards people of color. After the first game in which Colin Kapernick kneeled during the national anthem, Kapernick told reporters that: “I am not going to stand up and show pride for a flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” The action led to Kapernick being released by his team the following season and not landing an NFL job since even though he is talented and could be a valuable asset for a team. In a league where teams will sign players who have beaten their partners and children, stolen, and been charged with assault, the only thing(besides murder of course) that has given cause to NFL teams to ignore a talented player has been protesting during the national anthem. For example, directly after NFL Quarterback Michael Vick was released from prison on accounts of animal abuse, he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL franchises have displayed that they find protesting during the national anthem as worse than sanctioning dog fights.

Colin Kaepernick protesting police brutality has drawn fierce debate from the right and left. The right found that Kapernick’s protest was disrespectful to those who fought for the United States and was unpatriotic. Media outlets like Fox News with views to the right heavily criticized Kapernick in his kneeling during the national anthem. Fox News journalist Scott G. Erickson showed disdain for Kapernick in his article by writing that: “Kaepernick’s comments weren’t just an insult to over one million americans-many thousands of whom were African-American-who have given their lives in defense of the United States from wars as far back as the American Revolution to the more recent conflicts in the Middle East.” The left found that Kapernick’s actions were indeed patriotic and pointed out that critics of the Civil Rights Movement felt that powerful figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X were unpatriotic. Throughout the season, several other athletes across the league took after Kapernick by kneeling during the National Anthem. Like Kapernick, these players lost countless sponsors and were put in hot water with their team’s organization. As the topic grew, it caught the eye of President Trump. While at a rally of his, he said that he wished that the NFL would be like him and say:”Get that son of a bitch off the field YOU’RE FIRED. YOU’RE FIRED.” This hostile commentary from the president caused even more players to kneel during the National Anthem not as much out of protest of police brutality but more out of protest of the president.

The meaning of patriotism changes with social and political beliefs. It is one of the words in the English language in which people disagree on its true definition. The people who now hate Colin Kaepernick because he kneeled during the national anthem most likely believe that being patriotic means to support the troops and stand up straight, take off your hat, and place your hand above your heart when the national anthem plays. The people who have supported Colin Kaepernick’s protests most likely feel that being patriotic means to be willing to protest and make your country a better place. The NFL’s protests has been one of the several topics of the last few years that have further increased the divide within the United States.