The National Anthem is the song that is played before almost every American sporting event. This ritual has been set for years, but in a time when athletes have begun to use the flag as a platform for their protesting, it has caused a huge debate across the country.  When it comes to professional athletes, many of them tend to stay silent when it comes to protesting or issues that affect the country. However, recently many athletes in the NFL have acted on their rights of Freedom of Speech and petition. The most known for it at the moment is Colin Kaepernick, quarterback of the 49ers, who took a knee during the National Anthem. So, why is this causing an uproar?

 Colin Kaepernick, Arian Foster, Kenny Stills and many other athletes have every right to protest their beliefs. I personally feel the same way they do. Why stand for something if it is not true? Especially since all of the police brutality and marches have been occurring within the past 2 years, there has been many occasions in where there was injustice in the justice system. Everyone has a right to voice their opinion through actions and words. To me, this was the perfect time for an athlete to do something about the racial inequalities this country holds for the simple fact that it raises awareness.

 Another thing that I find unfair is how athletes who do act on their rights lose endorsements and are possibly even benched during a game because of their actions. Taking away a successful athletes’ endorsements will do nothing but show how your company basically does not support the right to freedom of protest and speech. In the NFL it does not state that athletes are required to stand during the “Star Spangled Banner.” Therefore, if endorsers decide to pull away from an endorsement with an athlete who refuses to stand, there should be some type of agreement in their contracts.  If anything, I feel as though the teams these players are on and the companies that hold their endorsements would support the fact that they can believe and protest as they please. Even recently, a teacher in Fayetteville was suspended from his job for stepping on the flag. Regardless of how people feel, the teacher was expressing his first amendment right of speech and protest, much like Kaepernick. This shows how the issue of people expressing their first amendment rights is not only affecting professionals and celebrities but also people at the local scale.  It is a free country, nothing they are doing is harming anyone.