Colin Kaepernick: A Violation Of America's First Amendment Rights
Colin Kaepernick, sparked National outrage on September 1st by kneeling during the national anthem in a preseason exhibition game. When Kaepernick was asked about his reasoning, he answered with, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." Kaepernick is exercising his first amendment right of free speech, and also his first amendment right of peaceful protest. Why then, are so many outraged by this?
America is a very proud country, and of the things Americans feel shows what America is all about is the Stars and Stripes. This is not wrong to think either; the American flag is recognized worldwide as a symbol of freedom, democracy, and equality. For the oppressed around the world it shines as a beacon of hope, and as a death threat …show more content…
The flag that many people say he is disrespecting, stands for the very values that he is demonstrating. Having an unpopular opinion in a free democracy is never going to disappear, and trying to silence someone’s freedom of expression is even more disgraceful to the flag than kneeling during the national anthem.
Some will argue that kneeling during the national anthem is also disrespectful to the U.S army, and that they go out and die to protect that flag, so paying respect should be mandatory. On the contrary, those brave military men and women died protecting the rights that Kaepernick is exercising. Again, telling someone their right of free speech in invalid for whatever reason is dishonorable to every military veteran that has ever risked their life to protect the very freedoms that some people are saying that Kaepernick does not deserve. Issac Wright, a military veteran, tweeted ,
“I don't agree with all of his points, but I'll fight to the death for his right to say it.
America is a very proud country, and of the things Americans feel shows what America is all about is the Stars and Stripes. This is not wrong to think either; the American flag is recognized worldwide as a symbol of freedom, democracy, and equality. For the oppressed around the world it shines as a beacon of hope, and as a death threat …show more content…
The flag that many people say he is disrespecting, stands for the very values that he is demonstrating. Having an unpopular opinion in a free democracy is never going to disappear, and trying to silence someone’s freedom of expression is even more disgraceful to the flag than kneeling during the national anthem.
Some will argue that kneeling during the national anthem is also disrespectful to the U.S army, and that they go out and die to protect that flag, so paying respect should be mandatory. On the contrary, those brave military men and women died protecting the rights that Kaepernick is exercising. Again, telling someone their right of free speech in invalid for whatever reason is dishonorable to every military veteran that has ever risked their life to protect the very freedoms that some people are saying that Kaepernick does not deserve. Issac Wright, a military veteran, tweeted ,
“I don't agree with all of his points, but I'll fight to the death for his right to say it.