National Anthem Protests – Pros and Cons

Last updated on: | Author: ProCon.org | MORE HEADLINES
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Source: KeithJJ, “Professional Football Player,” pixabay.com, Aug. 11, 2016

ProCon.org, a nonpartisan nonprofit public charity that researches the pros and cons of controversial issues, brings its distinctive pro/con presentation to the issue of protesting during the national anthem.

People who support refusing to stand for the national anthem argue that athletes are justified in using their celebrity status to bring attention to important issues, and that refusing to stand for the national anthem is an appropriate and effective method of peaceful protest. People who disagree argue that football games are an inappropriate place to engage in political protest, and that not standing for the national anthem shows disrespect for the country and those who proudly support it, some with their lives.

“At ProCon.org people can read the pros, cons and related information on important topics from gun control and medical marijuana to the death penalty and immigration. We started the Kaepernick research back on August 26, 2016 when his refusal to stand during the anthem first made news. This issue has obviously not gone away. We decided to keep updating our research so our readers could get a nonpartisan look at what this issue is really all about,” says CEO Kamy Akhavan.

The national anthem controversy jumped to other sports as every player on WNBA’s Indiana Fever knelt on Sep. 22, 2016 (though WNBA players had been engaging in protest for months); Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell took a knee on Sep. 23, becoming the first MLB player to do so; and Joel Ward, of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, said he would not rule out kneeling.

For more information on this issue, please visit /headlines/kneeling-during-the-national-anthem-top-3-pros-and-cons/.