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All Americans are asked to show their respect for their freedoms and their country by standing while the national anthem is being played. Americans do not always express their respect in words, so they do it through their actions. Ways of showing respect for the country can be done in many different ways. Some people thank soldiers or raise money for veterans, while others simply stand for the playing of our national anthem. Standing for the playing of the national anthem is a sign of respect…

In regards to Colin Kaepernick refusing to participate in the National Anthem, I personally believe that it was not the appropriate thing to do. Specifically being because he is a public figure and it not only offends people around him but the country itself. It shows the world that if someone who is American doesn't support his own country then why would the rest of the world. I feel like there are other ways to go about voicing your opinion, but refusing to participate or at least stand up for…

What does it mean to be an American? This is a question everyone in the United States should ask themselves from time to time. One needs to ponder on this question and think about the things they have that others may not. Having said this, being an American is having freedom. Being an American is having a choice. Americans need to take everything they have into perspective and think about what all comes with the title “American”. America is the greatest country on Earth, or at least that is the…

Maybe Colin Kaepernick Is Just Not That Good, By: Colin Fleming In the article Maybe Colin Kaepernick Is Just Not That Good by Colin Fleming, the author discusses Kaepernick’s issues within the NFL. Fleming goes on to address his protests against racism and police brutality, refusal to stand for the national anthem in addition to his outspoken nature. Later Fleming criticizes Kaepernick’s football playing ability and skill, hence the title “Maybe Colin Kaepernick Is Just Not That Good.” Why is…

The Congress appointed a "Committee of Five", consisting of John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, to draft a Declaration. They created the Declaration of Independence to declare independence from Great Britain. This document has certain principles. These included 1. All people are equal, 2. All people have basic rights that can’t be taken away, 3. The government gets its…

Jose Crespo Ms. D English 4 9,January ,2016 The controversial dispute is whether or not the NFL are doing enough to address head injuries and their long term effects. One may say the NFL are doing very little in educating their players about the long term effects and what they could be facing down the road. Such as Concussion, Brain damage, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy also known as (CTE). Some will say that they are being disobedient and stubborn. That they are not taking this…

We shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day. Not just because he was a bad person. Yes, it is because spread so much disease, and I really don’t want to be celebrating someone who committed near genocide. But mainly, I don’t want to have a day where the Native Americans in our country feel hurt and betrayed as we celebrate the man who killed so many of their ancestors. The majority of people in America aren't Native American. But we can’t forget about them. When we have parades in honor of…

National Anthem Protests As you go to sporting events, you hear the National Anthem being played before the athletes start their sporting event. The reason for this is to honor those who served and protect our country and for those who are still doing so. Recently, many NFL (National Football League) players have oppose to stand for the National Anthem. In 2016 Colin Kaepernick, who played football for the San Francisco 49er’s, started a protest trend to kneel for the National Anthem.…

In the column “We Have Nothing Left to Hold Us Together,” American columnist, Ben Shapiro, argues against athletes protesting the national anthem. He contends that the anthem symbolizes proud American ideals and unity, and that protesting it undermines the rights Americans hold and the ideologies they stand for. Shapiro’s claim that the anthem is a symbol for an ideal America, and the act of kneeling during, especially by privileged football players, only divides America is incorrect. Even…

The NFL protest started last year when more and more NFL players began to kneel during the national anthem. It started with American football player Colin Kaepernick. The purpose was to highlight police brutality, racial inequality, and the Black Lives Matter movement. This has grown into a larger issue that even got President Trump involved, who basically said that “he wished that NFL players would be fired for kneeling during the national anthem”. Now, the controversial topic has a lot of…