The right to peacefully protest has caused a major uproar in today’s society. I personally think there is a lot of controversy over this right. Things like NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem, White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis, and Black Lives Matter all have to do the fact that we all have to the freedom to peacefully protest and we can choose when and when not to do so. ` The controversy over the national anthem all started in 2016, when NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat down during the anthem, and later switched to taking a knee, during the pre-game anthem to protest racial discrimination, especially from police officers. Kaepernick, who has sat and knelt during the anthem, has said he refuses to honor a song or "show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He also referenced the …show more content…
"To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way," he told NFL Media. "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." He was protesting against racial discrimination which is, believe or not, is still very much alive and well in 2017. Many other NFL players have participated in this same action for this same reason. The misunderstanding that people are having is that they think these players are trying to disrespect those who fight for our lives in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. These players are simply trying to stand up for the discrimination that still takes place against colored people. Spectators come up with their own justifications as to why these players are are kneeling, even when they don’t know the full story.I feel that only truly incompetent people can’t get it through their brains that this is not meant to disrespect our troops, but that these player cannot stand