The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in the past few years has stirred up huge amounts of different opinions and beliefs. Plenty of people have lost nationalistic feelings for America due to events that have occurred during the recent past with the killings of African American individuals. To show their disappointment with this ongoing struggle that plagues America, Colin Kaepernick an NFL quarterback on the San Francisco 49ers, protested in August 2016 against police brutality and the inequality that people of color face. He started by sitting for the national anthem and then switched to taking a knee. NFL players all around America now kneel to the national anthem, which has brought the attention of Donald Trump’s disapproval.
Peaceful protests have influenced citizens to stand up for themselves against prejudice and give them a voice. Not only did the 49ers protest the anthem, but a total of about 13 NFL teams have too. They do not protest for the intention of disrespecting the country, but they simply protest consistent oppression against people of color, police brutality, and the criminal justice system that seems to constantly overlook such unfair treatment of minorities. The national anthem is just a way to give a voice to those who cannot. However, Trump and many other spectators do not react to this positively. Trump argues to change the rules to prohibit kneeling during the national anthem, tweeting, “The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can’t kneel during our National Anthem!”
Controversy continued in the early morning of Sept. 26, when President Trump disapproved of the Dallas Cowboys, specifically for their protest during Monday Night Football. The Cowboys linked arms that morning and kneeled during the national anthem in protest. Trump expressed his disapproval of the acts of the NFL teams and thinks it is a disgrace to the nation. He tweeted, “The booing at the NFL football game last night, when the entire Dallas team dropped to its knees, was the loudest I have ever heard. Great anger.” The discord began at Trump’s rally in Alabama on Friday, Sept. 22, when Trump said in his speech, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a b—- off the field right now, out, he’s fired, he’s fired.”
While Trump supporters believe that Trump’s views are just, students involved at CHS, such as senior Dixie Reese, disagree.
“I personally don’t agree because I think the reason why the NFL players are kneeling for the National anthem has nothing to do with the National Anthem and the flag, more so with how racism in America is still so prominent,” Reese said. “I think that’s what they’re advocating for. They’re not protesting the anthem or the flag or soldiers out fighting for our country. They’re out there fighting for our freedom to protest, which is our right.”
Despite such unprofessional language, the White House seems to back the president on his judgment from the statement made by the White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders.
“It is always appropriate for the president of this country to promote our flag, to promote our national anthem and ask people to respect it,” Sanders said.
The sole purpose of the NFL protesting the anthem is to give a voice to those who cannot speak. Their protest speaks to the injustices people of color still face in America today. Many NFL teams have joined in on this peaceful protest, but many spectators and Trump disapprove of their behavior, saying that it is “disrespecting the flag.” This news has ended in controversy over the respect of the country and has fueled tensions between Trump and the NFL.