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Colin Kaepernick National Anthem Analysis

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“O. say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming” I can picture myself in a big loud stadium surrounded by thousands of other football fans singing or listening to these words. I can see the images of the football players getting pumped while the anthem is sung. Quarterbacks ready to throw for long touchdowns, defenders eager to tackle. Then suddenly my eye is caught by the fact that one or two players are kneeling. I am confused. Why would they be kneeling during the anthem? I later discovered that NFL players starting with Colin Kaepernick decided to sit or kneel during the National Anthem in protest of racial discrimination and the death of African American individuals in encounters …show more content…

It has led to division in our nation and has not helped improve the situation of those individuals whom they are protesting for. Clearly, there are more effective things these athletes could have done to make a difference. In order to understand why and how Kaepernick's actions have been very counterproductive we must consider what he stated and what was the response to it. “"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder". Kaepernick stated this in response to the controversial shootings of African American individuals by police men. There has been an extraordinary debate about the social and racial issues in America but Colin Kaepernick-NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers-started a very controversial debate with a simple act sitting or kneeling during the National

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