Yesterday was the return of the NFL.  I’ll be honest, I didn’t think the day would actually come but I’m so glad there is Football in America right now.  However, I know that the actions of different players have a few people upset.  No, it wasn’t how they performed on the field (unless you are a Colts fan but that’s for another time) but what they did before the game. More specifically during the National Anthem.

It’s been six years since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, first took a knee during the National Anthem.  When people started to take notice of what he was doing; we all couldn’t wait to take a side and argue over if he should be doing that or not.  Things haven’t changed much in the last six years.  Players are still kneeling and people still can’t wait to tell you their opinion.  Just take a look at your Facebook feed sometime today.  You’ll see what I’m talking about.

After watching a lot of football yesterday and seeing people’s reactions today, I thought of something.  Now, I’m not going to tell you whether or not I agree with certain things but I’ll say this; isn’t the fact that players are allowed to kneel a part of what it means to be an American?  If you see something wrong with society aren’t you supposed to say something?  There are places in this world where actions like this would invoke some serious consequences.  But not here.

“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Granted, this quote from the Declaration of Independence is talking about reshaping a government.  However, at its core, it’s talking about fixing something that you see as wrong.  If you believe in something strongly enough you are supposed to stand up for it.  Again, I’m not saying I agree or disagree with kneeling for the anthem but players are kneeling for a cause that they believe in.

If you think about it too, kneeling is still a way to show respect.  It’s a way to show humility.  The reason Kaepernick started taking a knee was that it was suggested by another NFL player.  An NFL player who served in the military no less.  Former Green Beret Nate Boyer.  Now, Boyer didn’t love that Kaepernick protested the anthem but he wanted there to be a way that Kaepernick could still get the message across and be respectful.

You may never fully understand why someone does something.  That’s okay.  You don’t always have to.  People don’t always understand why you do something either.  The important thing is that both sides can at least agree that having the ability to stand for something is a great thing.  So, when it comes to the rest of the NFL season, let’s just agree to disagree.  Someone is getting a message across and you can still watch live football on Sundays.  It’s a pretty good deal.

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