Last weekend, President Trump spent much time discussing sports in relation to politics. In turn, NFL football players knelt with Colin Kaepernick in solidarity. However, the narrative of his protest has drastically changed through media coverage. Kaepernick’s protest is not in response to Donald Trump, but rather to racial inequality and police brutality in America. The media should not label Kaepernick’s protest as unpatriotic because it is his first amendment right to bring attention to these issues.

The Bill of Rights clearly states that U.S. citizens are entitled to free speech. This includes the act of kneeling during the National Anthem. So, in actuality, Kaepernick is exercising his first amendment right, which is anything but unpatriotic.

Police brutality is a genuine problem in the United States. Compared to their white counterparts, African-Americans are 2.5 times as likely to be killed by a police officer while being unarmed (Lowery). Twisting the narrative of the protest into anti-patriotism hinders the vital attention and discussion that is needed to address this serious issue. Such deterrence would be a disservice to the African American community, especially when lives are at stake.

Lastly, the media and the public have been too critical of the way people of color protest. Although blocking roads may not be the safest way to protest, kneeling or sitting during the national anthem is completely non disruptive and yet still receives copious amounts of backlash. It draws to question why the public is so eager to dictate what is or isn’t acceptable. Perhaps it is not the action of protest itself that bothers the public, but rather what it stands for: the empowerment of marginalized people.

Lowery, Wesley. “Analysis | Aren’t More White People than Black People Killed by Police? Yes, but No.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 July 2016

Below are links to the stories included in The Roaring Gazette’s first issue of the 2017/2018 school year.

Cybersecurity, toppling regimes, and facing terrorism by Aniyah Lewis

Lion Voices: What did you do this Summer? by Bethany Hansel

Students want vending machines open more often by Danielle Erestain

Meet a Lion: Mr. Falls by Aliyah Alli

NBA Superteams a new trend by Danielle Schirru

Remember why they’re kneeling by Marissa Goodall

New VB program offers humane solution for “Barn Cats” by Finnley Brakke

Hispanic Heritage Month an opportunity to re-think how we teach History by Ashley Archila-Ventura