Students Discuss National Anthem Protest Issue

By: Ivy Sandoval
irs21@txstate.edu

The topic of the National Anthem protest is an issue that is controversial but Texas State students were willing to give their input.

Giovanni Buevo, 22 

1.     Do you know about the National Anthem protest issue?

“Yes”

2.     Describe what you think the NFL kneeling situation is

“Kaepernick is kneeling due to a lot of the racial discrimination from police towards African Americans”

3.     How do you feel about the approach he (Kaepernick) took?

“Honestly I don’t think it serves really anything. I don’t disapprove. He can do whatever he wants because this is a free country, people have the right to do whatever they want, but personally I don’t think it’s going to really make any difference. All its done is antagonize the United States more between the majority of white people that watch the NFL as been demonstrated by the ratings”

4.     How do you feel about the NFL’s approach?

“I think its dumb. Let them (the players) do what they want to do”

5.     How would you have handled the situation?

“If I was an executive, I feel people tend to value freedom of speech, the onslaught of political correctness I think it’s an issue that people generally disapprove of it so when you decide “I don’t like this political opinion so I’m going to decide these people can’t say something” you’re putting yourself in that camp of people that “I can’t listen to people that disagree with me. If I was Kaepernick I feel like I would try to use my money and my platform to help whatever issue even though I don’t necessarily agree to the extent with the issue. I do think there is an issue with police brutality but I think the racial lines have been exploited more so than necessary”

Lucas Caton, 20 

1.     Do you know about the National Anthem protest issue?

“Yes but not much”

2.     Describe what you think the NFL kneeling situation is.

“He was kneeling during the National Anthem. That’s all I know”

3.     How do you feel about the approach he took?

“That’s his own opinion. I mean, he’s entitled to it. I don’t mind. There are consequences for maybe sponsorships but I personally don’t have a problem with it.”

4.     How do you feel about the NFL’s approach?

“It’s in their power to do that, but I don’t feel it was necessary. It doesn’t really bother me and they’re just voicing their own opinions granted the NFL is the one presenting them I guess they do have control over the medium. Since I don’t watch football that often, it doesn’t affect me too much”

5.     How would you have handled the situation?

“I would have stood my ground and known to voice my opinion. He made a statement with it and he stood by it so I respect that. I don’t necessarily agree with it but I respect that he stood by his belief. As an NFL exec I would try to advocate for the first amendment but at the same time they’re more concerned with profit margins so they were probably more focused on sponsorships being dropped so I would like to say that I would have supported Kaepernick but at the same time if my job was on the line I probably would have chosen more censorship action”

People discuss Colin Kaepernick and the NFL

By Paola Bakker

p_b133@txstate.edu

Maki Tachana is fashion merchandising major from San Antonio, Texas.

1. What do you know about the Colin Kaepernick situation?

"I believe he got kicked out of the NFL because he was kneeling and taking a stance against racism, and he recently became the face of Nike and people were outraged and burning their stuff, but Nike actually went up 30% or so in sales, so it was a good business move."

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"I didn't see why it was a big deal, I never understood that. Like there's a little handbook saying "Don't wear the flag," but people are over here wearing speedos with the flag, so I'm just thinking, "You think that's more disrespectful than kneeling?" To me it just didn't make sense. It's not disrespectful, so I just didn't see why it was a big deal."

3. How do you feel about the approach that the players took by kneeling?

"I think it was a good stance. They were trying to get a point across."

4. How do you feel about the NFL's response?

"I think it was stupid. How are you going to get mad at players for kneeling for a cause, yet during Breast Cancer Month, they wear pink. How can you get mad for supporting a cause? I think just because the specific cause is towards their race, they got mad about it.:

5. How would you handle the situation?

"I'd kneel. If I was a player, I would still kneel. You can cut me off, but those guys make millions, like they're set for life. They have endorsement deals, like look at Kaepernick, he kneeled, got kicked off, and he's still making millions from Nike."

Diane Cunningham is a retired law enforcement worker from Chicago, Illinois. 

1. What do you know about the situation surrounding Colin Kaepernick?

"I know that he and the other players knelt for a reason and that reason is the mistreatment of black males in the inner city, their arrests and just their lifestyles."

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"It doesn't bother me, that's why we have the Constitution. It's not like it's a Nazi kneeling for their cause."

3. How do you feel about the kneeling?

"He isn't hurting anyone, it's a peaceful form of protest. I don't understand why people are so offended over it." 

4. How do you feel about the NFL's approach?

"I think it's wrong and against the Constitution. They have a right, and they aren't hurting anyone. It has nothing to do with the military or anything going on overseas, it's about black culture."

5. How would you handle the situation?

"If I were the NFL, I would let them do it."

Students discuss Colin Kaepernick

By Emily Schulte
ees88@txstate.edu

Mariah Johnson
Student from Dallas, Texas

1. What is your understanding of the issue?

"He kneels down during the national anthem at football games for the racial tension between white and black people in America and that the national anthem wasn't a representation of equaltiy at the time or even now."

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"I feel as though it is part of our first amendment and our freedome of speech and it isn't hate speech. He accomplished what he was trying to do, but it got him kicked out of the NFL. He did what he had to do, and he got punished for it. I don't feel as thought it was right or wrong, just a simple protest."

3. How do you feel about the approach of kneeling?

"I believe his approach was right. It wasn't derrogatory towards any culture and he wasn't trying to get everyone to do it. It was his own thing; he did it by himself and he wasn't trying to start a gang against a certain race."

4. How do you feel about the NFL's reaction?

"I think the NFL could have done better with it. Fining players because of their beliefs and how they feel is pretty absurd to me. I feel like there should be some kind of compromise. I understand being told to wait in the locker room, but being fined is ridiculous."

5. How would you handle the situation?

"It's kind of hard to say. The national anthem is like the constitution; nobody whats to change it. As far as making accommodations to those who don't feel as though they can't support it, then they should be respected to how they act on their beliefs. Respect both sides."




Azucena Rivera
Student from San Antonio, Texas

1. What is your understanding of the issue?

"I don't know much about it, but I don't find it to be rude or offensive"

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"I don't believe it was offensive to anyone. It was his belief and he could have done whatever he wanted to do. He didn't have to stand if he didn't want to and I think that it was more respectful of him to kneel down than to actually stand in a way."

3. How do you feel about the approach of kneeling?

"I don't really know much about what it means to kneel, but I think that if he's peacefully protesting then it should be respected and allowed."

4. How do you feel about the NFL's reaction?

"It's over the line and too extreme. They shouldn't be hiring players for what they believe in. You don't do that in jobs, so why would you do it in football?"

5. How would you handle the situation?

"If I was the NFL I would not have responded so negatively. Just because he kneels doesn't mean he can't play. I see where the NFL is coming from, but it also harmed Kaepernick. I would have let him kneel."

Texas State Students' Thoughts on National Anthem Protests

By Kayla Darensbourg
kmd130@txstate.edu

SAN MARCOS - Two Texas State students shared their views on the issue over the National Anthem protests.

Kendria Rhodes, a 21-year-old student from Dallas, Tx, described her understanding of the National Anthem protests as people were kneeling because the injustice of African Americans.

"My understanding is that there are many advocates within football, within political places, even students and normal, average-day people are taking a stand against the national anthem because they feel as African Americans we are not equal," Rhodes said. "Even though we are living in a country that says that we are. There is mass incarcerations of black people...there was also an argument about the national anthem, since people felt when the national anthem was made, black people were still enslaved. So how do we call ourselves a free country if that happened?"

"Honestly, I feel like we are given free reign." Rhodes said. "Everyone has a choice in life, and if that’s how he wanted to protest, even other people in the U.S. that want to protest in that way, I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with it because it’s not a violent protest. If he feels strongly about this cause, and it’s important to him, and I’m an African American woman and I feel like that cause is important too, even as a Christian we all equal and all loved by Jesus, and if that’s his way to take a stand and it’s not harming anybody then I’m okay with that."

When asked about how she feels about the NFL's response, Rhodes said she understood how some of the teams and associations were fighting people if they do kneel.

"I know a lot of people have been fined. It’s really weird because they are working for the NFL," Rhodes said. "If the NFL has its own rules, then it has its own rules and you can’t help that. But, at the same time, I feel like it impedes on those people and their right to protest what they believe. I don’t see the harm in [kneeling during the games]. I wish they would find an equal ground where the players would be able to have their voice heard and do what they wanted to do in a political statement, but it’s just an interesting thing."

Rhodes concluded how she would handle this situation with this:

"Let the people kneel if they wanted to kneel as long as they are not bringing violence," Rhodes said. "If someone is going to protest in a nonviolent way, I’m okay with that. Shushing people and fining them isn’t going to work because at the end of the day there is always going to be somebody that opposes against what you believe in. It's okay for them to have their voice, speak up and say I’m not okay with that"

Blake Tulloch, a 22-year old Geography major from Georgetown, Tx, also has much to say about his stance on the protests.

Tulloch's understanding of the National Anthem protests was that Colin Kaepernick was “protesting” the national anthem.

"Basically he was saying I don’t appreciate what’s going on in the world right now, so he took a knee and people started to get mad," Tulloch said. "Then more people started to do the knee thing, and then more people got mad."

Tulloch feels that Kaepernick took the right approach is his act of protest.

"That’s about the safest approach you could take without outwardly saying I don’t agree with anything that’s going on right now," Tulloch said. "I think what he did was extremely smart. If he wants to protest something, that’s probably one of the best ways to do it on national television."
Tulloch states his feelings about the NFL's response.

“The NFL is trying to stop people from protesting, by saying we don’t agree with any of these actions," Tulloch said. "So, I don’t like them trying to silence peoples’ protests. But you do need to understand that the NFL is a private corporation and not the government, and technically your first amendment rights are only for the government, so the NFL has the right to say we don’t agree with this. It's a two-edge sword really, where you can agree with what they’re protesting but you also need to understand the NFL is private corporation and they have their own rules."

Tulloch concludes that he would handle this situation by letting it "go the way it goes."

"I’d let people decide what they think about it," Tulloch said. "If people say this is a dumb protest, that’s not their decision to make. They don’t get to decide who can protest what. That’s not what the American Dream is about. It’s about believing what you believe and understanding that other people are going to believe different things"

Melanie Liddle is an academic advisor for the honors college at Texas State University.

Q1.     Are you aware of the issue?

“I believe so, it’s been going on a while as far as I know. He was fired I believe and since has gone on to still protest injustice.”

Q2.     Describe why players are kneeling?

“I’m assuming players agree with (Colin) that there are still injustices in society that need to be addressed and that’s them (exercising) their freedom of speech, to bring up that subject on the game field.”

Q3.     How do you feel about the approach Colin took?

“I think it’s perfectly fine. Baseball players in the past kneeled for the same sort of civil rights issues. It’s not new. It’s his right. People argue the other way. If he’s got a venue to make a point go ahead.”

Q4.     How do you feel about the NFL’s response?

“I’m not real happy with that. The way I understand it anyway. It’s corporate.”

Q5.     How would you handle the situation?

“Gee I don’t know. He’s making Nike ads now so he’s doing alright. I don’t see another way. It makes people uncomfortable but sometimes you have to make people uncomfortable for change to happen.”

Richard Chae is 30 year old senior at Texas State University majoring in exercise sports science. He is an US army vet.

Q1.     Are you aware of the issue?

“I’m aware of the situation, I don’t know the updated version of it.”

Q2.     Describe why players are kneeling?

“Colin Kaepernick started to sit down for the nation anthem. A veteran came up to him and (said) it’s more respectful that you kneel, (after) finding out why he was (sitting ). Out of respect for the veteran. This is what I read. (Colin) acknowledged it, and he started to kneel. From there, he started protesting the whole cops and killings of minorities.”

Q3.     How do you feel about the approach Colin took?

“As a public figure, there might have been better ways. But at the same time, there might have not been better ways. Being in the spotlight, he did bring it to the nation’s attention what was going on.”

Q4.     How do you feel about the NFL’s response?

“Personally, as a vet, I see both sides. After reading all this stuff, what Colin did is in his rights. At the same time, I see why there is so much animosity towards him. The NFL’s approach to it was more monetary based. Being monetary based isn’t really a good way to (go) about it.”

Q5.     How would you handle the situation?

“I heard what one owner did and I respect the way went about it. If you want to protest, do it on your own time because essentially an owner is paying their paycheck, and if the owner doesn’t see fit to pay him because of that, then that’s the owners decision.”