Two young elementary school students made national headlines this week; choosing to “take a knee” during the performance of the national anthem during a Major League Baseball pregame ceremony in Seattle.
Video of the student protest went viral on social media within minutes, with angry fans and supporters of the First Amendment going head-to-head over the girls’ decision to demonstrate during the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’
Two young girls exercising their rights @SafecoField ✊ pic.twitter.com/jOOYxnHoSM
— Louis Penna (@louispenna) April 1, 2018
Here at Safeco Field where an elementary school sung the anthem and two students took a knee while performing. pic.twitter.com/HwHIsowsxN
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) April 1, 2018
“Obviously, the school district respects the First Amendment rights of our students,” a spokeswoman for the school district told the Huffington Post.
“The two young girls who kneeled during their performance at Sunday’s Mariners game are trailblazers, demonstrating that the quest for racial equality and social justice has support from a new generation,” Yahoo Sports wrote.
AMERICAN HERO: Disabled Veteran REFUSES AWARD from 'Tainted' NFL Team
“Although I am touched and honored to be selected for such an award, the ongoing controversy with NFL players’ disrespect for the national flag forces me to decline to participate in the presentation,” Wells said.
“I am unable, in good conscience, to enter an NFL stadium while this discourtesy prevails. Since this award is tainted with the dishonorable actions of the NFL and its players, I cannot accept it,” he added.
The NFL has been struggling to regain its footing following weeks of players choosing to “take a knee” during the performance of the US national anthem.
The ensuing controversy gained national attention when President Trump called for a total boycott of the NFL until officials and owners require players to stand during the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’
END ZONE: Jobless NFL Star Says He’ll NO LONGER KNEEL During Anthem
An NFL star who pioneered “taking a knee” during the performance of the US national anthem at professional football games announced he plans to pursue a “different approach” heading into the 2018 season.
According to ESPN, Eric Reid -who spearheaded the protest alongside teammate Colin Kaepernick in 2016- said during a recent interview that he no longer intends to kneel during the performance of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’
“I’m not saying I’m going to stop being active because I won’t. I’m just going to consider different ways to be active, different ways to bring awareness to the issues of this country and improve on the issues happening in this country,” said Reid.
“I don’t think it will be in the form of protesting during the anthem. I say ‘during’ because it’s crazy that the narrative changed to we were ‘protesting the anthem,’ and that wasn’t the case. I think we’re going to take a different approach to how we’re going to be active,” he added.
Reid’s comments come more than a week into his search for a contract, with many team owners and officials opting to stay away from “controversial” players after a disastrous 2017 season.