This past fall you could not watch the news or go online without hearing about Colin Kaepernick or some type of protesting against the national anthem. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback went down on one knee in protest for the first time during the national anthem Aug. 26, 2016 against the Green Bay Packers. The protest was to bring awareness to black oppressed lives.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way,” Kaepernick said.
Kaepernick is fighting to show people of color they are not alone. He is standing up for those who do not have voice of their own or a large enough platform to get the message heard. Yes, people are angry that he has decided to take this form of protest; however, if we sang the whole national anthem instead of just the first verse your opinion would possibly change.
What would happen if the protesting of the national anthem started taking place during NCAA events? Would students stand with their teammates? What would the coaches think?
Jemima Nelson, a senior, believes that it is up to them. She believes in love for her country and the responsibilities; however, that is why we are able to stand for it. If this rapidly trending protest were to reach Cabrini athletes she would not be upset with their choice. However, she believes there should be a definite concrete reason in doing so. “People will always say something,” Jemima said. She does not believe consequences should be had. “At the end of the day it’s your free will.”
Jess Huda, the assistant coach for women’s soccer, cannot make the call on if discipline would be taken if a player decided to protest. However, their team is very superstitious, even standing the same places with hair the same way to ensure a victory, so to change that is highly unlikely. When asked about the protest she was unsure how to answer due to the fact she has not had discussions with the staff. She has a true love for the army and freedom, but can understand the logic behind both arguments of the protest. “The more I read about it the more I understand it’s about a lot more.”
Cabrini’s own Steve Halko, a senior defensemen for lacrosse, is disgusted with the protest and believes it is a slap in the face when it should be about honoring the veterans. This is close to Halko, as he even almost enlisted in the army before choosing Cabrini. When asked if the team has talked about it, he believes it is a difficult place to to talk about the country. “I just have a lot of pride for my country,” Halko said.
