Saturday was a perfect example of a politician doing something stupid and the reaction from the people he targeted was equally dumb.
Last year, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick attempted to bring awareness to racial inequality by sitting during the national anthem. I’m not sure he really accomplished anything aside from create more hate because many people don’t associate protesting a sacred song as a means to achieve equality for all. His pig socks, mocking police officers, could have also hurt his credibility, but that’s not the story today.
For the most part, these scattered protests were starting to go the way of the dodo bird, until US President Donald Trump opened his big mouth and called football players SOBs and suggested anyone who sits during an anthem should be fired or suspended. Well, of course, this is going to rile up anyone opposed to him, especially teams of athletes. He should have stayed out of the debate because the debate, itself, was going away on its own. Instead, Trump re-ignited it, not unlike how the media stokes the coals of racism and bigotry to ensure it stays relevant in an era of cord cutting.
What ended up happening on Sunday was widespread kneeling from NFL players to show their….their...solidarity against Trump? I’m not even sure. It’s not a protest on racial inequality anymore or else all of these guys would be kneeling without having been poked by Trump. I have to say I respected what the Pittsburgh Steelers did in that they skipped the anthem altogether as to avoid dividing their roster into pro-kneeling and anti-kneeling factions. I believe we will soon see the day where anthems are no longer played at sporting events.
Whether or not you are offended by people who don’t stand for the national anthem depends on the value you have for the song itself. Some say, “It’s just a song.” If that’s how you feel, then these protests are really a whole bunch of nothing. I feel the anthem is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and show respect for the land and freedoms that are provided for us. And, yes those freedoms include the right to protest and refuse to stand for the anthem. I get all that. I’m not arguing against anyone’s right to protest and I’m not suggesting anyone be fired or suspended for not standing. But, I am suggesting that by refusing to stand, you are doing much more than voice displeasure about racial inequality or expressing your disapproval for Donald Trump. When you sit for an anthem, you are saying there is no pride and no respect for the country you call home. And, in the case of these NFL players, they are also saying they reject a country that has provided them an opportunity to earn millions of dollars and live a lavish lifestyle. Biting the hand that feeds them.
I reflect on my own situation here in Canada. There isn’t a whole lot this government is doing that brings me pride. We paid a terrorist $10.5-million. We are kneecapping small business people. I listened to Justin Trudeau shame our entire country for 20 minutes during his United Nations speech with regards to First Nations treatment that I have no personal involvement with. He says citizens don’t appreciate being Canadian like immigrants do. Our government is also trying to kill our economy with carbon taxes and, overall, I just don’t have much use for our Prime Minister. But, I would never ever ever sit for the Canadian national anthem. This country has done way too much for me in my lifetime that opposing the social stances and economic policies of the Prime Minister can be done in many more constructive ways than sitting during the anthem and being ashamed of what we’ve become.
New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees said it best, “I will always feel that if you are an American, the national anthem is an opportunity for us all to stand up and be unified and show respect for the country and what it stands for. There will always be issues that we battle and we should always strive to make those things better, but if the protest becomes that we are not going to show respect to the United States and everything it stands for, I don’t agree with that.”
By the way, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced this weekend that they will accept President Trump’s invitation to visit the White House. The NBA’s Golden State Warriors rejected it and so did the NCAA basketball North Carolina Tarheels. The Pens’ stance is that disagreement with the President’s politics, policies, or agendas can be expressed in other ways and it’s most respectful to the Office to accept the invite. It doesn’t mean you endorse who’s sitting in the Office. And, that may be the most grown-up take on all of this.
It’s a free country. You are allowed to sit. I’m also allowed to criticize you for it. I also think the original message is now lost. Why can’t we protest in a way that brings people together instead of causing a further divide?
Sitting for an anthem isn’t to say you have a problem with one issue. It’s suggesting you reject the entire being. At least, that’s how I see it.
I’m just as free to say it as you are to sit when you should be standing.
