NFL Anthem Protests - Where Americans Stand

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Nearly a half century ago, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two African-American track athletes at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, raised a black-gloved fist and bowed their heads as the American national anthem was played during their medal ceremony. They were protesting the extreme poverty and lack of civil rights in the black community of the United States. Their protest was received harshly. They were suspended from the U.S. Olympic track team and even received numerous death threats.

This event has resurfaced in light of the recent actions of many African-American NFL players over the past year. Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, was the first to kneel on the field during the playing of the national anthem in protest of police brutality toward African –Americans. Other players, including some non African-Americans, have joined in similar exhibitions of protest over the past year. The national dialogue concerning this movement has been enlightening and, in many ways, highly troubling.

Strikingly, Mr. Kaepernick, despite a stout resume as a skilled quarterback, finds himself out of a job. Not a single one of the current 32 teams has signed him to a contract, and that includes teams that have lost their quarterbacks to injury. This bears resemblance to the response to Mr. Smith and Mr. Carlos in 1968. The NFL commissioner and most team owners have rejected the action of the protestors and, in some cases, have labeled it as treasonous.

So what does this mean? What does this reveal about the evolution of our country since the civil rights movement of the 1960s? Granted, some part of the response of the NFL owners and league administration to the current protest may lie in the perceived economic ramifications of, if not supporting, at least allowing or not commenting on the action. Fear of alienating segments of the fan base likely plays some role in the posture of the owners and the league. This, in itself , is disheartening as, for these millionaire and billionaire owners, one would hope that morality and protection of rights would trump a minor financial hit.

The position of the NFL, along with a significant portion of the population and elected officials, that the players should not be allowed to protest is even more disturbing. They argue that it is unpatriotic and an affront to those who have fought and given their lives for the ideals of the American flag. But this argument is without merit. Our country is based on the right to freely express views and thoughts, even if unpopular. Suppression of this right should be viewed as inherently unpatriotic and unacceptable. This is what our forefathers and military have fought for over the past 241 years. Let us hope that the voices of reason and democratic ideals ultimately win out and that future Tommie Smiths, John Carlos’ and Colin Kaepernicks are met with an open mind and not with derision and hate.