Originally posted in 2017
Here at Bulletholes, we think we know why. Sports bring out the best that one can hope to aspire to. The amount of dedication and desire it takes to excel and win, even to compete, can hardly be measured. It requires a high level of personal competence and accountability. For the student fans in the stands, its a metaphor for what they should try to acheive in the classroom. I never went to college, but I would imagine after the game over the weekend, whether won or lost, inspiration is drawn from the game and applied to their studies. Same with everyday folk. I went to a Rangers game a few weeks ago. I watched Gomez, an aging veteran, on his first at bat as a Ranger hit a 3 run homer. It made me proud to go to work the next day, and proud to live in a country that lends itself to such principles and aspirations.
Sports and competition is supposed to appeal to the best that is within us.
So we say the pledge in classrooms, and listen to the National Anthem at sporting events to remind ourselves that the principles of hard work and fair play of the event we are about to see also reflect what should be the principles of the country we live in.
In reality this is not always the case, and the history of sports reflects that as well, as in the cases of Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Mohammed Ali, the 1968 Olympics and more recently, Colin Kaepernick. For that reason, I don't see taking a knee during the Anthem as being traitorous or disrespectful. I think it is patriotic. If anyone truly wanted to disrespect the flag, they might give it the bird, or turn their back. There may be no finer gesture of respect than taking a knee. Its very brave to go against the social norms, and lend your voice, and your ass, to a group of people that wants to be heard."
It often takes guts and courage to protest, because protest means you're standing against something others believe in — or entrenched traditions, which can be extremely difficult to change. Almost universally, the athletes who have stood against what they see as injustice suffered social and economic consequences, not seeing the benefit personally that their efforts led to for others.
Lots of comments on the original post.
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