Trump Rant Backfires Among Athletes
Athletes Across All Sports Encouraged To #TakeAKnee
So. As President Trump tries, yet again, to ram through legislation that will effectively kill Obamacare and leave thousands without appropriate and affordable health care, he's now turning his attention to one of the most critical issues facing the United States today.
Should athletes stand during the national anthem?
The last anyone looked, there is a right to peaceful protest, among other rights that military veterans have fought for over the years. Rosa Parks, all those years ago on the bus, understood that, in spite of her claims that she sat down because she was tired. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that when he and so many others marched on Washington.
Let's be clear: I am not making a comparison between professional athletes like Colin Kaepernick and civil rights icons. The comparison cannot be made; King and Parks changed history with their actions, while Kaepernick is exercising, as anyone should feel free to do so, his right to peaceful protest. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is exercising his right to peaceful protest.
These are professional athletes and, more importantly, citizens of the United States of America who have as their First Amendment right the ability to peacefully protest. Right now, these gentlemen appear to be protesting the direction in which America is turning, which appears to be pulling the civil rights movement apart and making America, long believed to be a bastion of kindness and goodwill for all races and people, more divisive than it has ever been before.
What do these gentlemen receive in return?
Tantrums from the 45th president of the United States, who is currently engaged in a war of words with North Korea's president. Comments about how, at least in the NFL, anyone who doesn't stand for the national anthem should be fired from their respective teams.
Firstly, doesn't the president have more important things to worry about? Things like trying to salvage the international standing of his country? Things like ensuring the people currently trying to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a series of vicious hurricanes are offered the help and support they need?
Secondly, why would the president try and deny anyone their right to protest, simply by taking a knee during the national anthem? Certainly, it may not be a move anyone favors, as it would seem disrespectful to the country, but given the president himself couldn't be bothered to put his hand over his heart during the playing of the national anthem, he's the last person to be talking about disrespect of one's country.
One would think, as Trump scrambles around bragging about how amazing he is, that there are far more pressing issues troubling the United States than the issue of professional athletes taking a knee during the national anthem. One would think that Trump has better things to do with his time than to suggest to the NFL commissioner Roger Gooddell fire those who don't stand during the national anthem.
Like it or not, people have the right to stand or not during the anthem. While anyone in any nation might question that right - and it is their right to question that behavior - citizens do indeed have that right, at least in the United States. It's rights like these that the United States military fought and died for, and now, President Trump is facing a huge backlash online.
Military vets everywhere are expressing their support of athletes to take a knee, which is a move that Trump likely did not expect. Even musicians such as Stevie Wonder have taken a knee in protest. Actor Ed Asner even noted that he will be taking a knee, though he joked that he might need a bit of help to get back up (he's 87).
Regardless, we need to support the rights that Trump appears hell bent on denying. #TakeaKnee - is it really that hard?
About the Creator
Christina St-Jean
I'm a high school English and French teacher who trains in the martial arts and works towards continuous self-improvement.
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