Taking a Knee during the National Anthem

Taking a Knee during the National Anthem

There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the decision of Colin Kaepernick to sit during the National Anthem and subsequent football and baseball players taking a knee in solidarity with Colin and in protest of police brutality. I agree that police brutality has become a major problem throughout the United States. Persons of color should not ever be afraid of law enforcement just because of the color of their skin and law enforcement should not feel justified in targeting and abusing persons of color. Additionally, they should be further trained in proper de-escalation techniques and sensitivity training so as to best serve their communities.

Donald Trump has turned this into a political issue, which is fine, but he has missed the point of the protest in the first place in so doing. He has also failed to handle this matter in a professional and constitutional manner. The Constitution provides us with the right to peaceful protest. These athletes choosing to take a knee during the National Anthem are peacefully protesting. In no way are they causing physical harm to anyone or property damage. They are mirroring the acts of peaceful protesters and civil servants who came before them and they are seeking to bring attention to a major problem in the United States. Trump calling them “sons of bitches” and calling for their removal disrespects their Constitutional rights, their dignity, their value and invalidates the point they are trying to make with their demonstration. They are merely asking to be treated fairly by law enforcement and their resistance is met with additional derision and the supposed leader of the free world calling them “sons of bitches”.

This controversy and Donald Trump’s remarks come on the heel of several hurricanes devastating Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Many Americans seem to not even be aware that Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory and for a while, it was dubious as to whether or not Trump was aware that Puerto Rico was a U.S. Territory as he delayed in his assistance to this hurricane ravaged island. He is quick to tweet numerous tweets about football and basketball players, but slow to act in sending aid to hurricane ravaged areas. Instead of endless tweets about sports, he should be sending endless tweets about the devastation in these regions and the need for resources and assistance in those areas. He should be tweeting what he is doing to help these areas. People are quick to dismiss celebrities’ views on these matters and tell them to stay in their own lane, but the same people making these comments are also failing to stay in their own lane. Their commander in chief is failing to stay in his own lane. Sports are not his lane. He is a game-show host and real estate mogul turned politician. His lane now is to run the country and make sure his constituents receive the resources they need.

I am fine with athletes taking a knee during the National Anthem. Donald Trump himself fails to put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem. The people who have a problem with athletes taking a knee seem to not have any problem with Donald Trump not placing his hand over his heart or singing along with the National Anthem. Why the double standard? This double standard is precisely the point of this peaceful protest. What I am not fine with is the decision of some teams to stay inside the locker room during the National Anthem. At this point, your visible display of solidarity with Colin, of resistance against police violence, becomes invisible and you are disrespecting the flag, your country and your fans.

With that said, I am sick and tired of hearing about this particular controversy. Take a knee, don’t take a knee… it makes no difference to me. Donald Trump needs to move on and start taking care of business. While I personally refuse to call him the “P” word, that is his position in the United States right now and he needs to start acting like one. I am glad to see that he has finally taken action on Puerto Rico. I would like to see him take action on police brutality. Bullying others, enacting policy and threatening other countries on social media is not constructive or presidential. He needs to actually get to work doing what he promised. America was always great, but until there is freedom and fair treatment for all, its freedom is in danger.