Article: To kneel or not to kneel?

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The kneeling “problem” in the NFL, what about it?  For many americans the kneeling in the NFl has caused many differences in how people view the NFL and think about their flag. Many of the  NFL players at the end of the 2016-2017 year started kneeling for the flag to show their thoughts on what is happening in the U.S.A. today.  At the start of the 2017-2018 year it still continues to be a problem for the NFL.  Many believe that this year it is more of a political centered idea instead of an environmental idea.  

The whole gist of the NFL kneeling for the flag last year was to show that black lives matter and should be treated fairly like any other person.  This year this may still be the case, but some believe it might be in response to the president himself.  These theories are yet to be proven true though.  

All people that answered the question, “What are your thoughts about kneeling for the NFL”, said that  they truly believe it was very disrespectful in general.  Nick Jackson, an eighth grader, responded saying, “It is very disrespectful to our flag and to the people who have fought the wars for our freedom.”  Taylor Davis,a seventh grader, agreed that it is very disrespectful, because it is not only showing offense to the flag but to the country that our ancestors wanted to make and build up.  Mrs. Porter a respected teacher at Springville Junior High proclaimed, “I find that kneeling is very disrespectful.  The National Anthem is not political, it is patriotic.”  

Emma Cox, an eighth grader at Springville Junior High, said, “I don’t believe that their reaction is at all warranted, because it is a sign of disrespect to our country.”  Nick said that he could see where they were coming from, but did not think that it was warranted.  Nick said, “They are trying to prove a point to Donald Trump, but that is not a good enough reason to act like that toward our country.”  Mrs. Porter professed, “I do not think that it is warranted.  They are professional football players, making millions of dollars a year, it is hard to say that they are “oppressed”.”  She is saying that the main reason that this got started was because people were saying that they were oppressed so they knelt for the flag and National Anthem.  

For majority of people kneeling for the NFL has definitely impacted the way they look at the NFL.  For Nick it cuts close to home because he has  two grandpas who fought to keep this country free and it has made it so that his family and him look down on the NFL.  Taylor Davis said, “This does not affect the way my family looks at the NFL because no one in my family watches the NFL really much.”  Emma told us her thoughts had surely changed because she no longer felt normally towards the NFL.  

The veterans have been said to burn the season passes for the NFL in response to how the county they have fought to protect is turning on itself.  Cox said that she feels that the veterans are angry for the way that their country is being treated.  Nick simply replied that he thought that they find it disrespectful and don’t like it.  Taylor spouted her thoughts, “They are most likely sad that people are not respecting the country that they fought hard to defend.”  Mrs. Porter had another approach on the matter saying, “I think that the Veterans of our country are feeling disrespected because they have fought and risked their lives so people like professional football players can have the opportunity to play.”

While some people kneel some decide not to kneel, and others must respect that if nothing else.  While you may not think that this affects anything in your environment you could not be more wrong, for this is teaching kids that kneeling for the National Anthem is an acceptable thing to do.  Like Hamlet stated, “To be or not to be, that is the question.”  Similar to this to kneel or not to kneel that is the question.

Attributions
Article by Ashlee Bayles - SJHS Student Staff Writer