While the national anthem is playing, most people stand up and put their right hand to their heart, but this is not what Colin Kaepernick did during the game with Green Bay. Kaepernick, a San Francisco 49ers quarterback, created controversy when he refused to stand during the national anthem in protest to the mistreatment of African Americans and other minorities in the United States. Instead, he knelled while the song was being played. During an interview after the game, Kaepernick stated that "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He did it to show that what is being done towards minorities is wrong and something needs to be done about it. Although I do think that it is important to express what you are feeling and protest when you believe that something wrong is happening, I think that he could have handled it in a better manner. Kaepernick should not have brought politics into football, a family sport which people watch to relax and entertain themselves. He also showed disrespect to the country and to all the people who fought for the freedoms we have. If he wanted to protest, he should have done it outside of his workplace. In the interview, he also said that it would be selfish of him to look away from the issue which is why he took a "stand" but he could have taken a stand in any other place or done it in a different way. I don't think that Colin Kaepernick did the "right" thing when he knelled during the national anthem, but I also don't think he did a completely wrong thing because he was doing it for a good cause. He felt that as a public figure, he could make a different by shedding light on the issue and help other minorities like him.
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ReplyDeleteMerlyn:
ReplyDeleteYou've done a good job of getting your ideas down about this topic.
At the same time, playing devil's advocate, you say he's disrespecting the people who died for the flag. Which people are you referring to, for there were minority men and women who fought and died for this country too.
If Kaepernick explicitly states that he's kneeling in protest of the injustices people of color face, how then has his actions, despite what he says is his purpose, equated to disrespecting veterans?
Also, moving forward, please take more time to edit and proofread your blog before you "publish" it. You've made careless mistakes that a quick edit could fix.
Overall your video and news clip fits perfectly with your writing.
--Prof. Young
I think that his action was disrespectful to veterans including the one who are minorities because they have fought very hard to make America the home of the free. Many have lost their lives to give us the life that we have now.
ReplyDeleteAlthough he was protesting to give minorities more rights, he should have done it outside of the football stadium. He could have done it anywhere else without disrespecting the country. He was being unprofessional by bringing it into the football game.