Matt Pierce

10/17/17

  In the game of football you seem to hit the ground a lot. Weather it’s getting slammed to the turf by another player or maybe you trip over clete but this is none of the two. Players in the NFL have started one of the biggest controversies in the NFL in a while. During our nations anthem players have been dropping like flies, there knee hitting the ground as the music begins. Now I know a lot of people have been taking this as a sign as disrespect, but what is the actual meaning behind all this “Nonsense”.

     Colin Kaepernick was one of the key igniters for the situation. Colin was the first to take a knee during the Nation’s Anthem. He shook the tree to NFL but saying how he feels and doing as he wishes in this “Free country” finds himself a talented young quarterback, a free agent, X San Francisco player, and a lot of people hating on him. Kaepernick says,” I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of other color.”

     In the beginning we couldn’t get Colin to get up or anything during the Anthem, but one person sought to hear Colin out. An X Seahawks player and Green beret called Nate Boyer felt a little disrespected at first but knows everybody does something for a reason, he sought to find Colins. Him and Colin meat and talked about the situation, Boyer said, “Soldiers take a knee in front of a fallen brothers grave, you know, to show respect.” Boyer was saying that he didn’t have to respect the league but at least respect the brothers he plays with.

        Colin has started a trend for other teams to follow, now teams in whole will kneel or maybe stay in the locker room for the National Anthem. Multiple teams in the NFL have kneeled or did some form of oppression against the anthem.

     My thoughts on this case is for 1 politics shouldn’t be brought into sports. I feel as everywhere i turn politics are trying to suck me in. Can i just have one spot where i can enjoy something without trying to buy someone’s campaign or product. Now a days they bring politics into everything, this needs to stop.

      Since the incident when Colins knee touched the ground, he has grown hatred around his name. Many people feel like he is disrespecting America and what we stand for. There have been many supporters through all branches of our army. Many stand right in line with Boyer saying he’s trying to prove a point but it’s not disrespecting the flag.

     A baptist said,”…Kneeling to protest during the national anthem should thank god they don’t have to worry about being shot in the head ‘like in north korea’.

Now i’m not saying what this baptist is saying is true, but he is a man of God. He’s sees things through God’s eyes. Pretty sure if anyone was stepping on the wrong he’d have no problem telling them. He also compares North Korea to the situation,’like in North Korea’. People need to realize that they do need to be counting their lucky stars, because if we did happen to be in North Korea there wouldn’t be a controversy to cut there heads off. We need to thank God everyday that we live in the country we do because you never know we could be swimming in our own piss tomorrow.

        There was also a poll done on people who disagree against kneeling, came to 61% of americans who disagreed. Many army soldiers found it disrespectful at first, but going through the situation they claimed they felt like props. They say the media uses them as props all the time to gain fame and money for whatever they are selling. They say that they don’t really understand Colins reasoning but can understand his opposing view.