The National Anthem

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of people.”(Kilpatrick, p2) When all of this controversy goes on it is a big deal to everyone because this is what everyone is talking about like it’s the top subject which it shouldn’t be, there are too many problems going on in this world and this should not be one of them to worry about this should be an easy fix but actions just need to be taken by the commissioner and owners. The President might not be handling situations like he should but there is no need to take it out on our flag and veterans because it is just making these troops not feel appreciated when they are the ones protecting this country and keeping us safe from anything happening to us. Mary Kilpatrick who lives in Cleveland Ohio says “Folks who live and work in the military communities outside Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County say when they see NFL players kneeling in protest during the National Anthem, it feels like a slap in the face. Some even stopped watching football completely.”(p4) Me personally I love Football too much to stop watching it but seriously this whole protest thing has to come to an end like now. Vice President Pence tweeted “I left today’s Colts game because I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers and our National Anthem.”(Kilpatrick,5) That’s just devastating no government official or famous people are going to want to be seen at these events with the players disrespecting our soldiers and our country. All these sacrifices that these soldiers are making and this is how we should appreciation. Vietnam Air Force Veteran James Tabor stated “players should consider the sacrifices the military made before kneeling before football games. Take a walk to a Veterans graveyard, walk through there and look at all the 18 year olds in the ground.”(Campoy,p3) I just really can’t imagine how these soldiers and military families feel, like I don’t get it I would feel so attacked and really insulted from all this going on.

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. These soldiers are out on front lines and these players are almost like taking it for granted with the disrespect they are showing everyone. The players are trying to highlight the problem that is going on in this country but there has to be another way they could demonstrate it. Some organizations have said the protests aren’t aimed at veterans or the military but it is still coming off that way. Don’t get me wrong every country has it’s own problems but honestly this isn’t the right way to handle things. With these players doing this it makes the veterans not feel wanted when they should have all of our love and support as they go to battle. On September 24, 2017 head Coach Mike Tomlin announced that the Pittsburgh Steelers would not exit the locker room for the National Anthem. Former Army Ranger and now Pittsburgh Steeler offensive linemen Alejandro Villanueva left the locker room to stand for the National Anthem right outside the tunnel. He was the only player from the organization to leave the locker room and stand. That blows my mind to be honest I have never heard something like that before he knows how it feels because he was in the service. I have a lot of respect for him for being that brave and being the only one to do that. When asked about the situation going on he said “I will be the first one to hold hands with Collin Kaepernick and do something about the way minorities are being treated in the United States. You can’t do it by looking away from the people that are trying to protect our freedom and our country.”(Schafer,p4) Kaepernick is the one who started the whole protest thing last year and ever since that happened he had lost his job. A year later everyone else in the NFL is doing it and they still have their job. I think it is unfair to him because he is the only one that has happened to and he is a really good player he he is just being punished for what he started I guess.

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Coming together in unity as citizens of the same country is very important. No one single person is the same nor do we have the same views or opinions. The National Anthem at sports games and events should be a time where we the people of the United States should come together to agree that we are proud to be an American. The National Anthem represents our free country then and now and with the protest running wild in the NFL and the kneeling still going on owners are trying to work together to promote positive social change in our communities. After the meeting Roger Goodell released a statement saying “Right now it’s about coming together as one and getting back into the communities to make them all better. The NFL community has tremendous respect for our country, our flag, and our military. In the best American tradition, we are coming together to find common ground and commit to the hard work required for positive change.”(Reyes,p5) Martin E Dempsey states “there are very few opportunities for the people of the United States to come together, pause and reflect on the hope that is only possible with freedom and democracy.”(p4) He states that the National Anthem is one of those opportunities which come very rarely because us American citizens do have our differences. Times like this is when the whole NFL community needs to come together and be strong and make the right choices. The players technically have the right to do whatever they want but it’s just the matter of them going to do the right thing. A couple weeks ago the Cleveland Browns ran onto the field with lots of applauses as they came out for the National Anthem. Joe Thomas a veteran who hasn’t missed one snap in his long NFL career says “I thought it was pretty cool. I think doing this shows the unity that this team is trying to promote between our football team, first responders, military, and police and hopefully shows a positive

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effort to move forward and try to make America a better place for everybody.” (Schafer,p6) One Army veteran was not pleased with the protest going on as he stated “I find it very Disrespectful. We’ve got G.I’s dying to protect this country… I think its so revolting. I don’t even watch the NFL anymore, I quit watching.”(Kilpatrick,p4) Says 79 year old John Frizell. From him saying that I can just feel the disappointment from the way he says this. Eventually hopefully the owners and commissioner will pass a law in which everyone has to stand and unify how great it is to be an American because we are very lucky.

In conclusion, yes I believe anyone, especially athletes on national television, playing sports

and