By Dimitrios Kontogiannis, staff writer
Aug. 26, 2016 is a date that would change the sports world, and really just the world in general. It was the day that Colin Kaepernick, former San Francisco 49er quarterback, first took a knee during the national anthem in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
Well, it actually wasn’t really his first time kneeling; that was Aug. 14, 2016, during the 49ers first preseason game, and he did it again Aug. 20. Both went unnoticed until Aug. 26, and even that day it wasn’t immediately noticed.
The controversy stemmed from an unrelated picture of the 49ers team on the sideline during the national anthem, when somebody caught Kaepernick kneeling in the bottom of the picture. Ever since then, kneeling for the national anthem has been a national phenomenon. Soccer stars, high school football players, basketball players, even band members and singers have taken knees. For what reason?
Oppression, specifically against people of color. Megan Rapinoe, star of the United States Women’s National Team, said she knows “what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties,” and that “it’s important to have white people support people of color on this.”
A lot of protests happened in late 2016, but as early 2017 came, it seemed to die out. Fewer and fewer people really started getting into it. Sure, there was a story here and there, but really nothing.
It would all change though, and the date to pinpoint would be Sept. 23, 2017, when U.S. President Donald Trump sent out a tweet.
“…our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do,” said Trump.
The following football Sunday would be a big one. More than 200 NFL players knelt for the national anthem, some players locked arms, and three teams (Seahawks, Titans, Steelers) didn’t come out of the locker room for the national anthem. Alejandro Villanueva was perhaps the biggest story on Sunday though. The former U.S. Army Ranger was the only one out of the whole Steelers team to come out of the tunnel and stand for the national anthem.
Some people think that after all this, people are losing focus of why people knelt in the first place, to fight oppression, to fight for one’s own opinion.
Kaepernick said: “I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change and I feel that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
Indian Trail High School & Academy teens have their own views on the NFL controversy.
“I think players kneeling for the national anthem is just preposterous,” said Mariano Tenuta, a Communications Academy senior. “They are disrespecting the veterans that have died for this country over an issue that is non-existent.”
Ben Simar, a General Studies senior, usually kneels after the national anthem “praying personally.”
But when it comes to kneeling during the national anthem he says, “I don’t personally support it. My dad was in the Navy and (I) support the flag no matter what.”
Logan Silva, a Kenosha Military Academy sophomore, has a more complicated take on the issue.
“In the matters of the NFL and its players I’m totally fine with the fact that they protest. It is one of our rights as long as it is done in a peaceful manner,” Silva said.
“With so many people watching those players, I believe it’s somewhat a responsibility to speak for some of your young fans,” Silva said. “However, I don’t agree with the kneeling because in my opinion you’re disgracing the flag and the soldiers that died to let you protest in that manner. When you kneel I feel like you’re not taking into account the people that died for that flag, so at least give them respect as they died for you.”
Silva added that even though he doesn’t approve of kneeling, he still 100 percent supports the silent protests.
“When people protest it shows different ideologies and keeps the world from being so boring. We all have an opinion and we have to thank the many people who serve our country for (allowing us the right to express) that opinion,” he said.
Jordon Dickerson, a general studies freshman, doesn’t see kneeling as disrespectful.
“I mean it’s not like they’re jumping around and talking,” Dickerson said.
IT teens expressed a variety of opinions on this issue, but one outcome is clear: Kaepernick’s knee has changed the way people are viewing the sports world.