I wanted to write a big article on the Colin Kaepernick grievance against the NFL today but really I don't want to talk about Kaepernick, I want to talk about kneeling in the NFL during the national anthem. A polarizing issue all around the world that seems no closer to a resolution than it did a year ago. What I'd really like to do is open up a dialogue on the topic here on Scorum. I think this a great place for a discussion on the topic because Scorum is filled with contributors from around the globe who follow a large variety of different sports.
So my question all of you are pretty simple:
What is your stance on kneeling during the national anthem?
Personally I am very much pro-kneeling. I think athletes have a platform on which they can make an impact on the world and for once a group of athletes, spurred forward by the actions of Kaepernick, are using that platform to try and make positive change in the world. I can't wrap my head around anyone out there being pro-police brutality or pro-inequality, two things that kneeling during the anthem is attempted to illuminate and combat. I don't think the protest has anything to do with disrespecting he national anthem and is not intended to harm the game of football.
I think one very important aspect of this whole conversation is that this is a peaceful protest. A movement following in the footsteps of great individuals like Martin Luther King or Rosa parks, who made a difference through non-violent means. It is a lofty comparison but they are at the root of this movement and their actions will be in the history books for years to come. It's important to take a stand against injustice, even if it's in an action as simple as taking a knee.