Mandatory Patriotism: Modern Issues with the National Anthem
Five years ago, NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, kicking off a social and political movement that calls attention to inequality and discrimination against African Americans in America. The protests have encouraged ongoing conversations about racism and questions about toxic patriotism. The protests have led us to a turning point in the history of the National Anthem.
“O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave”
As I’m sure you know, these are the lyrics of the “Star-Spangled Banner”, the national anthem played before every major event in the United States. The ritual usually follows the same pattern; the anthem plays as people stand, take off their hats, and place their hands over their hearts.
The anthem is supposed to represent pride and national unity. But what happens when someone feels like the flag and country it represents doesn’t protect them? Should they be required to stand for the anthem?
Recently, the national anthem has become more of a polarizing issue than a unifying moment of pride. In the “land of the free” so many people feel neglected and discriminated against. This has led to widespread protest that has created controversy in America.
The conversations about race and inequality have not always been accepted in the United States. Now more than ever, we need to face these conversations and ask ourselves, “What does it really mean to be patriotic in America?”
Who is Colin Kaepernick? You probably already know.
The name Colin Kaepernick probably sounds familiar. As the unofficial founder of the movement, Kaepernick was the first person to ever kneel during the National Anthem during a regular-season National Football League game.
Before his downfall, Kaepernick was a successful quarterback. He was a second-round draft pick in the 2011 draft and even stepped in to lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2013.
Kaepernick’s first act of protest was sitting during the anthem, refusing to stand with the rest of his team and honor the flag. His protest went unnoticed which is what led him to his now-famous act of protest, kneeling.
The act of kneeling did not come about overnight. Kaepernick spoke with former NFL player and veteran Nate Boyer who served as a green beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He told Kaepernick that kneeling was the best way to protest inequality and brutality while still honoring the flag and veterans who served our country.
When his protest started to go viral, Kaepernick made his first public statement. He told reporters that he wouldn’t stand for a country where there is inequality, discrimination, and police brutality against African Americans.
“I am not protesting the anthem or the nation, I’m protesting organized brutality. To me, this is much bigger than football and it would be selfish to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” — Colin Kaepernick
Eventually, Kaepernick requested a trade and became a free agent. To this day, he remains unsigned.
What happens next?
Kaepernick’s initial protest extends far beyond him and his teammate, Eric Reid. Anthem protests are a part of sports more than ever before.
In response to Kaepernick’s protest, other NFL players started to kneel. The Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, even joined arms with his team as they took a knee during the national anthem.
The protests expanded to other sports organizations as well. United States Women’s National Soccer Team player, Megan Rapinoe, took a knee before her game in support of Kaepernick. Volleyball players from Virginia Tech and basketball players from Ole Miss also joined the movement.
Slowly, the protests spread to more local teams such as Capital Christian Academy in Washington, where the mostly black high school took a knee to protest inequality. Throughout the country, people from all ethnic backgrounds knelt in solidarity with Kaepernick and African Americans who face inequality and discrimination in America.
Perhaps the most important impact of Kaepernick’s protest is intangible. The resistance to the typical routine during the national anthem opened our eyes to the fact that we live in an imperfect country.
It is acceptable to feel pride in your country and feel thankful for the people who fought for your freedoms, however, standing for the flag is not the only way to do that. Requiring people to stand during the anthem and condemning those who don’t, feels wrong.
These people feel underrepresented and abandoned, so we have to ask ourselves why we expect (or even require) them to stand for a flag they feel does not protect them?
The conversations we now have about racial inequality were not possible just a few years ago. These issues needed a major platform, and Kaepernick gave that to them while sacrificing everything he had.
Mandatory Patriotism
When we look at the bigger picture, the term “mandatory patriotism” comes to mind. Mandatory patriotism is the idea that just because you live in this country, you must feel the pride to live here and love this country.
To me, mandatory patriotism reminds me of countries that use elaborate displays of flags and the military to make the country seem strong and united. When we look behind the scenes, the country is everything but that. While I don’t think that America is oppressive and tyrannical like some of these countries, I can’t help but see similarities in acts of “patriotism”.
If someone feels neglected by a country, they should not be required to salute the flag. This goes against the freedoms that we brag about in this country.
A Country Divided
The anthem protests received a lot of backlash when they first started. Since not many people had ever refused to stand during the national anthem, this break with tradition shocked a lot of Americans.
Prominent figures such as former President Donald Trump called for every player that kneels to be fired. He also suggested that fans stop going to NFL games until the issue was resolved. NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell said in a statement that he supports Kaepernick’s desire to see a change in our society, but he does not agree with taking a knee.
While Kaepernick received backlash, death threats, and threats of being fired, he also received an outpouring of support. The founders of the Black Lives Matter movement were some of the most prominent supporters, as they have been trying to have these conversations for years. The BLM movement has incorporated taking a knee into many of their marches and demonstrations.
We now stand at a crossroads, with a country divided. On one side, Americans want all people to stand for the national anthem to show respect. On the other side, protestors want their right to protest to be respected and to speak openly about racial injustice.
We need to allow people to kneel during the national anthem without calling them unpatriotic and un-American. Patriotism includes active participation in a country’s continued success. Ignoring their request to have conversations about change is denying progress to this country. Their protests are peaceful and as I stated before, there are other ways to show your love and respect for the United States.
Speaking openly about ways we can improve this country is as patriotic as it gets.
Final Thoughts
Colin Kaepernick was just the tipping point in this movement. Conversations about racial inequality and brutality have been ignored for years. It took a shocking act of kneeling during America’s most revered song to bring these issues to light.
Whether you agree with the act of kneeling or not, you need to have uncomfortable conversations about inequality. The people who protest want to see change, and actively trying to change a country for the better is patriotic.
The next time the anthem plays, I won’t stand. While I don’t blame you if you do, I hope you reflect on why some people feel like they can’t and respect their right to protest.
