In 2009, NFL leadership boldly proclaimed that all its players who were in any way disrespectful to the flag wouldn’t play, and that they must stand on the field during the National Anthem.
Only recently have the NFL owners decided to do anything about amending it, but only in order to quell the national anthem protests sparked by Colin Kaepernick. His story goes that he sat out during multiple songs of the National Anthem, and was called out for it, starting a controversy that spread nationwide. He refused to stand and put his hand on his heart because of what he perceived reverence to the flag and song meant to him. “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.”
The national protests used this courageous act to further the movement, basing it off of the fact that everyone has a right to pledge or not to pledge to the flag. Protests continued with people, including other NFL players, kneeling during the song, which was a quiet but very powerful protest against police brutality and racial inequities in the justice system. This angered many but gave a clear platform to their demonstration. Some may look at the flag and see all the opportunity America has, and resources, and privilege. Others look and see how the country has hindered them from their potentiality, suppressed their voice, killed their loved ones…. Now why can’t we have a choice to sit out the national anthem, or respectively tune out the pledge?
This new policy enacted by the NFL would only permit players to stay in the locker room during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but required them to stand if they came to the field. The change was approved in a meeting with only the NFL owners in attendance. No NFL players that pushed for change were in attendance or had any say in the policy. It was obvious that the owners just wanted to put this all behind them and suppress a movement that grew to be bigger than themselves.
Can this be all that is changed after many protests and clear demonstrations? Basically they are allowing those who feel the national anthem must be treated with devotion to do it on national television and on world-renowned football fields, and those players who are protesting and advocating for social activism to do so, but not in the public eye. It really isn’t fair, because it is literally putting a cap on the movement. It is a step in the right direction, but will there be a push for more?
