After the presidential election, the nation has gotten more divided on certain political issues. One political issue currently going on in the U.S. is the issue regarding an act of protest during the national anthem. Football players are taking a knee to protest race inequality, police brutality, and concerns about Trump’s administration. This has become prevalent throughout the entire U.S. and has led to debates in the SSFS community on whether or not this is the right way to protest.

One side is opposed to the idea of protesting in this movement as they believe it is disrespecting what the flag stands for and how soldiers sacrificed their lives for that national anthem. A student at SSFS who asked to remain anonymous said, “I can see why they do it, but in the process, they are also disrespecting the troops that fight to protect this country.” He believes that this movement should end as it is doing more harm than good. Although people in the group can, for the most part, understand where people are coming from when they choose to take a knee during the national anthem, they still think this is not a correct form of protest and should choose a better way to rebel. Even though it is directed towards Trump’s administration, it is also indirectly affecting people who have served in the military by making it seem like the protesters aren’t grateful for their service.

The other side is in agreement with taking a knee during the national anthem as a way of standing up the problems African Americans face. In order to evoke change, people need to be aware of the issues African Americans face. Steven Aldridge, a senior at SSFS, supports this movement. He says, “it’s a very visible and effective form of protest. Taking a knee has been a very effective way of starting a dialogue about police brutality and racial injustice in the United States.” When asked about whether this divided the country even more, he responded by saying, “Not really. The country is not more divided than it always has been. People felt uncomfortable voicing their differences because it wasn’t socially acceptable but the people who felt some way, always felt some way. We’re just finally at a point where we’ve accepted that we are a divided nation and we’re no longer avoiding the conflict that comes with division.”

This issue has had increased controversy over the last couple of weeks and people are still deciding whether or not they want to take a side. Both sides drive valid points for their arguments and this makes the issue on who is right more complicated. Time will eventually tell what comes out of this whole movement and who will be affected.