What Does The NFL Kneeling Controversy Say About American Values?
In 2016, San Francisco Quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat down during the national anthem to protest systemic racism and social inequality in America. He later agreed to kneel rather than sitting, a compromise that allowed him to continue his protest in a form that was considered more respectful, and many other players also chose to take a knee in protest.
Two years on, players are still kneeling, and the NFL have announced new policy that includes fines for teams whose players choose to kneel during the anthem, likely in response to widespread outrage (and loss of revenue) from fans who felt the protests were unpatriotic and disrespectful.
This isn’t a new thing. When the flag or national anthem are involved in an act of protest, many Americans respond with indignation. Despite being repeatedly protected by the Supreme Court, burning the flag in protest still elicits broad and vocal opposition from American people. Not standing for the national anthem provokes a similar backlash.
Isn’t that a bit weird, though?
American culture is largely predicated on the idea of individual liberty and freedom of expression, but it also features prominent and public displays of national pride. When people refuse to participate in these rituals, they are met with criticism…
