Dear. Mr. or Madam President: 

It has recently come to light that some people, mostly professional athletes, have started to no longer stand for the National Anthem. Whether you think this is ok or a bad thing that people are doing this is something I feel strongly about. I feel it is very disrespectful and it goes against everything I was taught growing up.

Everyone has an opinion on what Collin Kapernick (the man that started it all) did and continues to do. Even his own biological mom had things to say, taken from the Independent Journal Review (ijr.com), which was rated as one of the top 5 websites in US: "@kapernick7 there’s ways to make change without disrespecting and bringing shame to the very county and family who afforded you so many blessings.” I agree that kneeling for the national anthem is disrespectful and also believe it is very disrespectful to everyone who goes out to fight for our freedoms. I also find it extremely disrespectful to those who have died and their families because they paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free and yet they can't even stand respect them. According to Dictionary.com the exact definition of an Anthem is “ a song, as a praise, devotion, or patriotism.” This is exactly what I was taught growing up. I was taught that the national anthem is a form of praise to those who protect our country and keep us safe.

NFL media reporter Steve Wyche reported on NFL.com about Kapernick's reasons for protesting. Kapernick has said, “I am not going to stand up and show pride to a flag for a country that oppresses black and people of color." According to the dailycaller.com, he also said, “At the end of the day the flag is just a piece of cloth, and I am not going to value a piece of cloth over people’s lives. That’s just not something I feel morally right doing and my character won't allow me to do that.” The flag, however, is much more than a piece of cloth. It is a visual representation of those men and woman who fight, die, and have died to protect our country. In his quote Kapernick said he can’t stand because people are being killed, but by not standing he disrespects those who are dying and have died overseas.

In his article "15 People Who Stand For National Anthem and Should Put Colin Kapernick to Shame" published for Independent Journal Review, the author lists people who do stand for the anthem: “ members of the wounded warrior softball team, Army 1st LT. Melissa Stockwell, congressmen Tammy Duckworth, U.S. D-Day veterans Fredrick Carrier (89) and Ryan Sylvester (94), members of U.S. wounded warrior volleyball team, members of the 29th infantry Division who landed at Omaha Beach, WW2 veteran Bob Dole (93), WW2 veteran Richard Overton (110), the Queen of England, the Pope, Usain Bolt, and Frank Levington (110) he can no longer stand but he waves his flag when it is played. (ijr.com) The one thing most of these people have in common is they were once military and are now suffering form very traumatic injuries due to their time in the service of our country. These injuries include mental illnesses and lost limbs. This just goes to show you that if the people who do the real fighting and suffer from there time served stand, why can’t we? These people haven given more to the country than anyone else and someone who just plays football can’t even stand and respect them? That just doesn’t seem right.

I know that due to the laws in place and our Constitution they have the right not stand if they don’t want to. I know we can't punish them for exercising their Constitutional rights, but if I was the coach I would make sure my players understood their meaning of the National Anthem and our flag. I would tell them that the only reason play is sports, go to school, or even be alive is all due to the ones fighting and dying everyday, and that when you stand for the Anthem and Flag you are showing respect and thanking the solders for what they sacrificed. I would tell them whether or not they believe one race or another is being singled out or targeted and killed by police there is a 100% true fact that our soldiers are being targeted and killed by other countries. I would tell them they should most definitely stand for the National Anthem and respect these people who are giving the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

This topic has been a highly talked about subject lately and I feel that nobody has truly come out and spoken the truth. Everyone picks one side and just argues it, but never actually gives any good reasons to do either. The way I see it when you step back and look at what the flag and national anthem stands for you can pretty clearly see that everyone should stand and support our troops for risking their lives every day.