In the United States the views that are held by people regarding patriotism can vary greatly depending upon the person, but every citizen is still expected to support the country one hundred percent regardless of their opinion. Some patriotic views tend to go too far at times and breach into the more nationalistic ideals and customs that are generally looked down upon. Most popular issues of media conversation in the U.S. are not in any way considered black and white, so to ask of the audience to agree with one side completely is not only unfair but it is insensitive as it does not take into account the millions of differing views and opinions that are present throughout the states. A current event that is testing the first amendment and causing people to wonder exactly what it means is the stand versus kneel debate in regards to how one should present themself during the national anthem.

This started when well-known NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to exercise his right to free speech, and petition and kneel during the playing of the national anthem to try and peacefully bring attention to the injustices that are experienced by people of color every day in this country. This act created an uproar in America, some people completely despise what he was doing and thought it was un-American and a disrespect to the flag, while others thought that it was a peaceful way to protest the unjust treatment that people of color are subjected to based solely on their race. An article by Gene Policinski titled “Patriotism, respect for the flag cannot be ‘ordered’” discusses the stand/kneel debate and uses the court case Texas v. Johnson from 1989 as evidence to corroborate the stance that the first amendment gives people the right to express themself and their opinions in a peaceful way. It was said that “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable”. So just because one person believes that it is disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem that does not mean that is how everyone feels and that someone who has a differing view should not be allowed to express their dissenting opinion. It is demanded of the American people to be patriotic throughout all aspects of their lives but nowhere is it explicitly set as a rule of law that must be enforced at all times, because of this if someone does not wish to stand for the national anthem then they cannot be forced or punished. In this essay I will argue that there is no correct way to express patriotism for one’s country and that while being patriotic is good, taking it too far can lead to resentment and is generally looked down upon. No two people’s definition of patriotism is going to be the same, but they should have the same general idea.

Patriotism is defined as “vigorous support for one’s country”, but how one person expresses that support does not mean that is how it has to be done by everyone. No one’s idea of patriotism can be labeled wrong or invalid because that would go against the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, they can be misinformed or have a biased idea of the definition. When Kaepernick decided that he did not want to stand in support for a country that he feels does not respect or protect people of color there were mixed reactions. Some people agreed with him and supported what he was doing, while others believed what he was doing was disrespecting the flag and the men and women who fought for it. In an article by Kevin Cokley and Germine Awad titled “Recent anthem protests are the new breed of patriotism” the main reason for the protests is stated to try and dispel false rumors, “The protests are not about disrespecting the flag or the national anthem. The protests are not intended to push Americans apart, but rather to bring attention to racial injustice”. This article was published to help spread the truth about what this protest is meant to do, peacefully bring awareness to an issue that is usually swept under the rug as no big deal. This happens because racial inequality is seen as a thing of the past by a large number of people even though it is an issue that is still highly prevalent in today’s society. The people who are upset when players kneel during the anthem fail to realize the difference between a custom and a law. It is simply a custom to stand during the playing of the national anthem, no one can be forced or punished for failure to do so. The government cannot force patriotism of the American people but there are stipulations that are mandated by custom that dictate what is acceptable and how it should be expressed. This fact in itself is counterintuitive to the core beliefs that America was founded upon. The first amendment guarantees American citizens the right to free speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. So the idea that people have to be patriotic in a specific way simply does not fit with the ideals that this amendment is stating.

In an article titled “The paradoxes of American nationalism” by Minxin Pei it is stated that there is “no U.S. laws that mandate reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, require singing the national anthem at sporting events, or enforce flying the flag on private buildings”, if this is the case then why is it looked down upon so fervently when someone decides to exercise the freedoms given to every American. There is no federal or state mandation on these American traditions because they are just that, traditions, passed down through the generations as the right thing to do to fit in with the people around you. Pei also states in the article that “The rituals are voluntary rather than imposed; and the values included are willingly embraced, not artificially indoctrinated”, because Americans are made to feel as though they are choosing to do these traditions on their free will and not because they are told to it further imposes the idea that if one does not participate they are immediately viewed as an outcast and un-American. Although this idea goes against everything that the first amendment was created to protect most people fail to recognize the fact that all of these rituals are by choice and everyone is allowed to choose whether to participate in them or not. The national anthem has been revered in this country as a symbol of the freedoms that are offered here and the story of how they came to be, but not everyone was on board with making the Star Spangled Banner our official anthem. In a journal written by Carlos R. Abril the anthem is the topic of discussion throughout and at one point in particular he talks about a bandleader named John Philip Sousa who rejected the idea of the Star Spangled Banner becoming our nation’s song. Sousa realized that the country needed a song that would encompass all of the people residing here but he was opposed to that song being the Star Spangled Banner we know today. The MENC: The National Association for Music Education agreed with what Sousa was saying about the proposed anthem, they are quoted in the article as saying the Star Spangled Banner is “(a) too warlike in spirit; (b) that it is the product of a single historical event”.

Both of these statements are true and most people fail to realize what they say about the country. The fact that the Star Spangled Banner was created based solely off of one historical event, and that event happens to have been a war, means that it does not accurately represent the country and all of its inhabitants. Also the warlike feeling it evokes can come off as slightly aggressive or abrasive without meaning to. The national anthem should represent all of the people who live in the country as a whole and should include more parts of the history that helped shape the country into what it is today. The freedoms offered to all Americans are unlike those offered in other countries around the world. Showing patriotism towards one’s country can be a good thing but it is not a requirement that must be done by everyone all the time.

Colin Kaepernick is using his first amendment right to freedom of speech and the right to petition to bring attention to the injustices that people of color face every day in this country that are usually swept under the rug. By kneeling during the national anthem he is peacefully protesting something that he believes deserves more attention and because there is no law that states that he must stand for the national anthem he is not doing anything wrong. The people who are upset about what he is doing fail to realize the difference between a custom mandated by one’s peers and a law that can be enforced by the government. The Star Spangled Banner in itself has problematic beginnings and it could be discussed that it does accurately represent the people who live in the country or all of the difficult events that took place in order for it to be the America that is known today. There is no one correct way to express patriotism for one’s country, but taking it too far is never good and usually leads to hostility and resentment.