
nding an infringement on their freedo… sports, are publicly supporting Kaepernick and joining him in his refusal to stand for the anthem. Patriotic sports fans, meanwhile, are decrying the trend as offensively anti-American. That makes sense in today’s cultural climate, in which standing for ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is automatic. But it’s a far cry from a century ago, when people considered mandatory standing an infringement on their freedoms as Americans.
y stood up. When the music…about it,” he wrote. “When the music started, they stood up. When the music stopped, they sat down… In sports, the anthem has evolved into more of a signal than anything else. Hey, the game’s about to start.”