The NFL and the Anthem
The National Football League (NFL) kicked off the 2021 season on Thursday, September 9. Some people who viewed the pregame ceremonies may have been surprised to hear two pre-game anthems. Yes, plural. The NFL has pledged to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in addition to performing the traditional “The Star-Spangled Banner” during pre-game ceremonies […]
Anthems, Protests, and Football
Last week, btw took a closer look at the grievance that professional football player Colin Kaepernick filed against the NFL, accusing teams of working together to refuse to give him a contract in order to punish him for performing peaceful protest (“taking a knee”) during the national anthem before games. (Kaepernick, a former quarterback for […]
Year in Review: People and Culture
While the Trump administration dominated the headlines this year, a lot was still going on behind the scenes in the world of sports, social media, and culture. Here, a look at some of the trends that shaped 2017. Digital Life Of course, social media played more of a role in people’s lives this year than […]
YOU DECIDE: The NFL Anthem Protests
Should NFL Players Be Allowed to Protest the National Anthem? Last August, Colin Kaepernick–then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers–remained seated during the national anthem performance that precedes each National Football League game. Later in the season, Kaepernick began to kneel silently during the anthem. When asked about his actions, Kaepernick explained that he […]