The politics of national symbols such as the national flag and the national anthem can be complicated. I feel that it is not possible (or desirable) to homogenise and standardise the way that citizens feel and respond to these symbols. I also feel that forced ‘respect’ for these symbols is meaningless. The national anthem protests in the United States have been ongoing since 2016: ‘taking the knee’ has become a form of peaceful protest. However many including the President of the United States are violently opposed to this #TakeAKeen form of protest and now a recent NFL decision to fine protesting players seems to subscribe to the anti-protest stance.
In 2016, NFL player Colin Kaepernick famously initiated the protest first by sitting and then upon the advice of a military veteran, by kneeling on one knee during the pre-game national anthem. This was his way of protesting against continuing racial discrimination and often selective police brutality the country. Many other players chose to do the same in support.
Many other sportspersons choose to take the knee as protest or in solidarity with those who were protesting. Sometimes they would kneel and at times stand with arms interlocked. Musicians and others also chose to lend their support to the protest. Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones also chose to show his solidarity to the protest and clarified “It’s not about the disrespect of the flag and our military and everybody that has made this world free. It is about equality and people having the option and the freedom to speak upon things that they feel are not just.”
Reactions were mixed: while many supported Kaepernick in his protest, many others thought that the protest was both unpatriotic and disrespectful. GQ Magazine named him Citizen of the Year. However the President famously decried Kaepernik’s actions by suggesting that people who don’t stand for the national anthem should leave the country, and that players who do so ought to be fired. As famously, Kaepernik’s white adoptive mother had this to say in response.
Players and others can choose to remain in the locker room if they so wish, but the teams could face fines if their players kneel during the national anthem. Individual teams can decide what sort of reprimand they want to mete out to their players according to this new directive.
This tweet offers some perspective on what should and should not offend us. Here the tweet gives actual examples of the disproportionate police brutality that black people face in the United States and juxtaposes this with a peaceful protest; wondering how the latter is less offensive than the former.
Many commentators have expressed the view that protesting against injustice and inequality and ‘a system of institutionalized oppression and brutality” is actually a way of respecting the flag. Taking the knee is actually the definition of patriotism feel many.
Many veterans of the military as well as serving soldiers have come out in support of the #TakeAKnee protest. Even if people have not suffered injustice or discrimination at the personal level, they are offended by the evidence of it around them. They support the rights of people to speak out against injustice or oppression of any sort in any peaceful manner of their choice. One veteran also spoke out against the NFL's decision by deciding to “boycott any merchandise associated with teams and owners who support this measure” and invited others to do the same.
Chairman of the Jets, Christopher Johnson has shown courage in resisting the NFL ruling that many see as nothing but an attempt muzzle dissent and prevent free speech. He said that he would not penalize players and has offered to pay any fines himself.
This tweet asks a valid question – why are so many people so very offended by some players taking the knee? Some also asked how it is any more or less offensive than, say, buying a hotdog or operating a camera during the national anthem. The conclusion to draw here is that for those who choose to take offence at #TakeAKnee, it is not so much about national symbols as the actual content of the protest.
If you cannot kneel, raise your fist. Protests can take many forms, as Gandhiji showed us and the world. Walking for 390 km and simply picking up a fistful or salt is a peaceful but powerful protest. Disobeying unjust laws is a peaceful but powerful protest. Maybe the players will now raise a fist, wear a gag, simply bow their heads, wear a black armband…at the end of the day, how many forms of protest will they ban?
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