English 1101
Professor Young
September 15, 2017
America the beautiful, and America the free. While it is truly beautiful and free, it does unfortunately have people who do not see it for what it truly is. Former, "star" quarter back, number 7 for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick has taken advantage of our beautiful home. Every single day hundreds of soldiers give their lives for our freedom. They are hundreds and hundreds of miles away from their homes, their families, and the simplicities of life. Kaepernick took it upon himself to perform an act of disrespect during a football game. He did not do the right thing and not stand for the playing of the National Anthem. The song that represents our freedom, and our soldiers. The soldiers who sit dying on piles of dirt in foreign countries while Colin Kaepernick sits comfortably on his big piles of money. Hearing upon this event my stomach turned and my blood boiled. A proud family member and friend of a long line of military officials, I shut off my tv and began to question what I had just seen. Football games are a place for loud cheers, oceans of supporting fans strutting their teams official colors, and greasy snacks. This is not a place for political views from a man who is getting paid to do otherwise. While it is arguable what the right thing to do was, I feel he chose the worst possible action and offended those who "were" fans of his. Featured in this video, Kaepernick takes a knee right behind hundreds of service members being honored on military appreciation night.
It is hard to comprehend the fact that while my 21 and 24 year old cousins, and my 19 year old best friend are overseas fighting for this beautiful life I am privileged to live, this man can do an action so simple, so vile as to disrespect millions he does not even know.
The process is quite simple, you go to work, do your job, and then you go home. Your home time is where you are free to do whatever you choose. If Kaepernick so pleases to protest and take a stand in his free time that is his god given right, but his timing and location was inappropriate. In my eyes this was the wrong thing to do, and technically he may have had the right to kneel, in my book he had no right. And if he doesn't like these rules then he can pack his bag and move himself somewhere else. Located at every American sporting event, our beautiful flag soars high. Red, white and blue; the three colors that symbolize our country. Red, white and you; the person who should be doing everything in your power to build it up, not tear it down and divide us. The same aspect goes for Michael Bennett; I applaud those individuals who stand up for their rights because I know I would have the courage to do the same. But its when the idea is being shoved down my throat that I have to disagree. Opinions are a wonderful thing and everyone is blessed to be able to voice theirs, so you believe in yours and I will believe in mine and that is exactly how it is supposed to go. There should be no riots, or protests because what I believe does not agree with what you do. This is America the beautiful, and America the free, but it will not be this way for much longer if people continue to take advantage of it.
Alyssa:
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your pictures and much respect and appreciation to the men who have served. Your title and writing are awesome!
Playing devil's advocate, you mention that Kaepernick is disrespecting the soldiers who are fighting for this country. At the same time, aren't there men and women of color who have fought and died for this country?
Wasn't America's greatest battle fought against Britain when America wanted its independence? Wasn't a part of what America fought for was freedom of expression?
Further hasn't Kaepernick expressed that he's kneeling in honor of those who've knelt for him so that he can make a living? What about those who've died so that he can vote and/or live wherever he chooses?
What do you say to those people who express those views?
While Kaepernick kneels, he disrespects every soldier, those with all varieties of skin color and background. In the Constitution preamble it states that, "We the people of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice..." Well we are all here to form a, "more perfect union," not encourage division among ourselves which is what Kaepernick seems to promote. It is possible that he meant to send a different message and that he meant no harm, but in the eyes of the majority of people he failed to do so. Also, to those who sacrificed their lives so that he can vote and/or live wherever he chooses, he shows disrespect for the one thing they were fighting for. The one thing that flew high while their chances seemed low, the American flag and the beautifully written National Anthem, he knelt for. So to those people who believe he was doing the right thing, I disagree and hope that they see the unfairness and cruelty in his actions.
Delete