San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made recent headlines by choosing not to stand for the playing of the National Anthem before a game in which he participated. He offered his reasons for doing so, and the NFL has accepted his right not to stand. While this is not a First Amendment matter – the NFL and the 49ers are not-government – it is a free speech matter, and I am happy that the team and the league are allowing him to express his beliefs and opinions.
I do not, however, agree with his protest. Not his opinions, mind you, which I shall not discuss here, but his form of protest itself, i.e. refusing to stand for the National Anthem. The National Anthem and the Flag are representative of the nation itself, not the government, and to conflate the former with the latter is contrary to the nation’s core values. In other words, when we stand for the Flag and the National Anthem, we are showing respect for the nation itself, which endures and transcends the various governments and the various things government has done. The nation is the people that comprise it, i.e. you, me and our fellow citizens, and the values upon which it is founded, i.e. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yes, the government has wronged many of its citizens, including people of color. Yes, individuals have wronged each other, both within and across color lines. We don’t celebrate those wrongs when we hold the nation in esteem. We celebrate all the things that we have gotten right, and we also celebrate the sacrifices made by the many who fought to advance, ensure and protect all that is right in America. We also celebrate the hope for the future that American values promise.
Some, including perhaps Mr. Kaepernick, might consider this distinction a bit too nuanced. They’d be wrong. It is vital to draw a line between the nation and the government. To conflate the two is to accept totalitarian rule. We know how that turns out.
So, while it is the inherent right of every American not to stand for the flag, it’s also quite un-American.
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Nothing else to say. You hit the nail on the head.
As you suggest, Mr. Kaepernick might want to rethink his position. With all our problems, we still must be understand that over the last 240 year we also gotten a lot of things right.
The point to remember was your comment:
“In other words, when we stand for the Flag and the National Anthem, we are showing respect for the nation itself, which endures and transcends the various governments and the various things government has done.”
Isn’t is wonderful America has created the opportunity for him to voice his opinion. Like it or not, he has that privilege living in the greatest country on earth. 🇺🇸 Just a retired guy in Longmont, CO.
Just as a very simple example–I love my country but do not in any way love our current government and this administration. It’s like having respect for the presidency while not respecting the present occupant of that office. As you say, this could be a tad bit nuanced for someone like Kaepernick.