{"id":2134,"date":"2017-11-10T12:46:30","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T18:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rctc.edu\/echo\/?p=2134"},"modified":"2025-02-12T08:36:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T14:36:15","slug":"kneeling-for-the-anthem-rctc-students-weigh-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/kneeling-for-the-anthem-rctc-students-weigh-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Kneeling for the anthem: RCTC students weigh in"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Grace Castleberg
\n<\/b>Sports Editor
\n<\/span>grace.castleberg2641@mb.rctc.edu<\/p>\n

Protests doesn\u2019t always have to be violent. The act of kneeling for the national anthem was sparked by Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers. His intentions were to protest police brutality specifically towards those of color. It was a silent protest that has spoken volumes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Originating from Colin Kaepernick, the protest has now stretched across the NFL, with players from across the nation uniting behind the movement Kaepernick has sparked. The borders of the protest don\u2019t end with the NFL, however, and it is making an appearance at high school football teams and college teams. Even soccer players, cheerleaders, and basketball teams are showing their support for Kaepernick by taking a knee. <\/span><\/p>\n

The protest has received backlash for being an act of disrespect towards the American flag and what it stands for, and the president has also spoken out about his distaste for the act. <\/span><\/p>\n

A topic of this manner affects those everywhere. RCTC students, staff, and faculty weighed in on the importance of kneeling, the message being conveyed, and changes the protest is enacting. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a time and place for everything,\u201d says student Ian Meisner, \u201cYes, you have the right to freedom of speech, but if they actually cared, they would use their money for the inner city. It won\u2019t change anything. It divides the people further because it pisses one side off more than another. Just because you\u2019re offended doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re right.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Caleb Jones, another student at RCTC, had a similar view. \u201cIt won\u2019t change anything because we will always have social injustice and racism, and all this is doing is making everyone angry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A student who wishes to remain anonymous stated that, \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t be kneeling. They\u2019re getting paid millions because people overseas are fighting for them. The reason they are doing it is because they feel like they aren\u2019t being treated right, but there are a lot of people who aren\u2019t being treated right.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Josiah Eide, feels differently. \u201cI think freedom of speech is super important. I think that kneeling is a respectful way to express your protests. Colin Kaepernick\u2019s protest was in good taste. Intentions are more important than the action. Our country was founded on the freedom of speech. Take that away, and how are we any different from anyone else?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Eide also added that the protest is making changes across the country. \u201cIt\u2019s making people come out and talk about it. A controversial topic brings out people\u2019s opinions. When Trump spoke out, it showed his controlling side and has changed a lot since he spoke out. Kneeling for the anthem is now disrespectful because Trump is setting the line and saying it is. He\u2019s making those who knelt to appear unpatriotic and disrespectful. What Trump said was unconstitutional.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Othelmo da Silva, an RCTC academic adviser also weighed in. \u201cSome people are saying that it\u2019s about police brutality and inequality. People are hijacking the protest to promote their own grievances. Since the protest has expanded, it has become about many causes as opposed to just the one, which to me takes away the symbolism and the power the protest can have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At the moment, Othelmo feels the protest hasn\u2019t changed anything. \u201cTaking a knee, showering, and then going back to your million-dollar mansion doesn\u2019t change anything,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s like #activism, or #metoo, or #bringbackourgirls, because next week are, you still for that cause or are you on to the next hashtag?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

As of now, players continue to take a knee. During the heat of the controversy, passionate words are being said on both sides and the protest continues to move forward, taking the form of not only kneeling but also raising a fist, linking arms, and\/or sitting. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Grace Castleberg Sports Editor grace.castleberg2641@mb.rctc.edu Protests doesn\u2019t always have to be violent. The act of kneeling for the national anthem was sparked by Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers. His intentions were to protest police brutality specifically towards those of color. It was a silent protest that has spoken volumes. Originating from Colin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[54,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rctc.edu\/echo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}