Sitting Out The Anthem Isn't Unpatriotic

When I attended primary school in New York City, the national anthem was broadcast every morning. At that time, my teacher would instruct the class to stand up, put our right hands over our hearts, pledge allegiance to the American flag resting in the front corner of the classroom, and sing "The Star Spangled Banner". We never though anything of it. We did as instructed and sat down dutifully after the anthem finished.

That was in the 1980s. Honoring "Old Glory" was also applied to sporting events. Athletes and fans alike stood in an orderly fashion while paying respect to the American flag during the anthem. San Francisco 49ers' quarterback Colin Kaepernick changed that recently, refusing to stand during the anthem before NFL preseason games. Police brutality and mistreating blacks in America were the impetus of Kaepernick's protest, which drew a lot of attention.

Not surprisingly, Kaepernick's stance has drawn criticism (some so vile that I won't address it here). It's been said that sitting out the anthem disrespected the flag and the military that defends it. Kaepernick took an initially unpopular but brave stand that may cost him his NFL career.

He's not alone. Seattle Seahawks' defensive back Jeremy Lane has decided to kneel before games as well. Denver Broncos' linebacker Brandon Marshall kneeled on the sidelines during the national anthem before the Broncos' season opener with the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. As of this writing, the entire Seahawks' team will show an unknown display of solidarity before their 2016 season opener with the Miami Dolphins. Considering that the NFL season opens on the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, it's easy to see how many people will take these gestures from Kaepernick and the Seahawks as disrespectful.

But there's nothing unpatriotic about not standing for the anthem. A Facebook friend of mine correctly noted that these athletes' First Amendment rights are not protected during the anthem because their employment is dependent upon the NFL and their respective teams. The 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos, and the NFL have not yet punished Kaepernick, Lane, or Marshall for their stances as of this writing. Why haven't they? Because there's no league mandate demanding anyone to stand and pay homage to the American flag or the anthem. It's a personal choice. Admonishing Kaepernick and others sends a message that the league doesn't care about peaceful protests that won't damage the NFL watching experience. After all, refusing to stand for the national anthem has no effect on who wins and loses these games.

Kaepernick is willing to lose his NFL career and endorsements while he continues to kneel during the anthem. In addition, detractors of the kneeling players have given no reasonable olutions that actually address the reasons for their stances. Until those conversations and actions take place, or the league establishes sanctions against these players, there's no reason to believe that the kneeling for the anthem will end.

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