With the kick-off of the NFL’s regular season, the controversy surrounding players taking a knee during the national anthem returned to the news. Images of players both kneeling and standing together, locked arm to arm, peppered various news outlets this weekend. Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars players, who were facing off in London, made the decision to stand or kneel during the anthem. Most notably, Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, announced his team had decided to stay out of the controversy by remaining in the locker room during the anthem so players would not have to choose to stand united or divided.
I might argue that by not “participating” they were jumping in with both feet.
One Steelers player did choose to come out of the tunnel for the anthem — Alejandro Villanueva, a U.S. Army Ranger who joined the NFL after serving three tours of duty in Afghanistan.
With all of the controversy this weekend surrounding the national anthem, I had to go back and refresh my memory on what all the fuss is about. I couldn’t remember exactly which issue had athletes from the professional level down to 8-year-olds in a youth league kneeling during our national anthem.
The national anthem tied to sporting events has had a relatively short and somewhat inspirational history in our country. Prior to it being officially signed into designation as our national anthem in 1931, “The Star Spangled Banner” was a song reflecting battle and linked more to the military than as a symbol of patriotism. A happenstance playing of the song at a baseball game during World War I, when major league baseball was promoted as a bringing us together, changed that. At various times in our history — at the Olympics and after 9/11 for example — Americans identified with the national anthem as a symbol of unity.
Children whose limited capacity to understand complicated issues and who were likely acting on the instructions of parents aside, I don’t see big results from professional athletes kneeling during the playing of the national anthem or doing much to improve a situation, whether it’s racism or opposition to Donald Trump’s presidency.
It seems that the issue of kneeling or sitting during the anthem (or not showing up for it at all) is being fed by the political divide in our country, including the president’s insertion of himself and his tweets into the issue.
It is a bit confusing, because in other situations, such as when a player is injured, teams use “taking a knee” to show respect to that injured player. I guess many of the signs and symbols we use in communication can mean different things to different people.
Add kneeling during football games to the list.
I wonder how NFL and other professional sports entertainers “taking a knee” during the playing of the anthem reads to those soldiers serving in the military, about 25 percent of whom are minority and whose average compensation is around $99,000 which includes housing, food, extra pay and an average salary of about $29,000, according to the Department of Defense.
And now kneeling or refusing to stand on the sidelines during the playing of a song has become another symbol of a country divided.
What does taking a knee during the National Anthem actually do to impact the issues that former NFL player Colin Kaepernick and others want to raise by dropping to their knees? Just like tearing down a statue or wearing a weird pink hat, what do those things actually do to bring about wanted change?
Many of the players who knelt this weekend do good work through their charities and foundations. Is that good work somehow diminished by the distraction of refusing to stand for the national anthem? Would coming together with elected officials or directly supporting real programs and services do more to bring about change than kneeling during the time it takes to sing a song?
People love a good protest but they don’t seem to want to do the work that we need to do to address the real and serious issues facing our country today. It is easy to kneel in a stadium, walk with a crowd or wear ribbons and argue about whose lives matter the most. It is more difficult and takes way more time, talent and treasure to roll up our sleeves and together identify solutions that will have real impact.
