Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

http://theintercept.com/2016/08/28/c...on-of-slavery/

A fascinating article that explains the NFL quarterback's refusal to stand for the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner. Some very interesting history from the 1812-14 War that I was not at all of. Not many are aware of it, I suspect.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

interesting to learn that.

I wouldn't sing La Marseillaise either.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

I think this history is generally known. Any number of Canadian and British studies of the war, both popular and scholarly, cover these topics. Problem is, many Americans never read any actual history beyond the school text books.

One of the main motivations for the American War of Independence, forty years earlier, was the knowledge among the American ruling classes that the forces of abolition were getting stronger in Britain and the days of slavery were numbered.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

The war of 1812 initially began over the policy of British naval ships boarding American merchant ships bound for France at a time when America was a sovereign neutral nation during the war between England and France. There were instances when American sailors were also press ganged for service into the RN.

As for national anthems one can find things to fault in most of them.

"Deutschland uber alles" Germany over all... Prussian arrogance and a sense of superiority

"Send her Victorious" Victorious over who? Rival nations in search for people to colonize. ?

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

There's also the factor that the British treasury was almost bankrupt after fighting the French in north America during the Seven Years War. The Stamp Act was introduced which was highly unpopular. The colonists instead showed their ingratitude for deliverance from French domination by refusing to pay it and refusing to agree to the British policy that there would be no further settlement into Indian territory west of Ohio

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Indeed. Time to discontinue them all. A national anthem is really just a stylised version of sporting-event chants - "USA! USA!" "Eng-er-land!"and the like. We expats ought to have outgrown such things, at least.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Yeah but I wont be sitting out the Stars and Stripes at the next Dodgers game. I'm in the middle of a crowd whereas Kaepernick wasn't

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Well, he is now!

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Yes, everyone is familiar with this narrative, it puts the U.S. in the right and makes the British look like the aggressors. But I think it is closer to the truth to suggest (as in the article linked in the OP) that the war of 1812 was a war of aggression launched by the war party in the U.S. Congress to invade and annex Canada. The impressment issue was just a weak excuse. Why in 1812? Because Britain had its hands full in the war with France, so the U.S. thought they could easily take Canada.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Do you think that the Canadian colonies' refusal to join the rebellion of the 13 southern colonies forty years before might also have been a factor? "You should have joined us then, and in time you will thank us for conquering you now"?

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

He has the freedom during the national anthem to stand, to sit, or to turn cartwheels across the grass if he wants.

Everyone else has the freedom to disagree with him, criticize him, ridicule him, and in a country where employment is "at will" (I am not even sure regular employment law applies to pro athletes), he could be fired for causing negative publicity to his team, sponsors, or the league.

That is how "freedom" works. :nod:

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

The Americans also tried before that to annex Quebec. An army under Benedict Arnold occupied Montreal and got as far north as Quebec city but was stopped by bad weather and sickness which reduced it's ranks considerably. They didn't get much support from the Quebecois either.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

They also have the freedom to agree with him.

A better question to ask is why is the national anthem played before sporting events in this country but not before most other cultural events?

The US military is a "nice little earner" for the NFL so I could certainly see it playing out that way.

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

Surely you can't claim to be the land of the free, then complain when someone uses their freedom they way they want to? I mean, I'd stand out of respect despite being a Brit, but I wouldn't be angered if someone chose to sit it out because they don't want to do it..

Re: Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem
 

There you have it in a nutshell.

Except those so incensed by it all say he should shut up and play ball and know his place.