U.S. Soccer: Players Must Stand for National Anthem
Soccer player Megan Rapinoe has been kneeling for the anthem.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started a trend last year when he decided to kneel for national anthem for social justice.
Athletes in other sports decided to follow, with leagues supporting their decisions and not really taking a stance either way.
But now the U.S. Soccer Federation has passed a bylaw that states everyone must stand for the national anthem.
https://twitter.com/stuholden/status/838109929802063872
Last September, women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe decided to kneel for the anthem before a friendly against Thailand. She chose to follow in Kaepernick’s footsteps and use it to protest against social inequality:
“I am disgusted with the way he has been treated and the fans and hatred he has received in all of this,” Rapinoe told espnW’s Julie Foudy. “It is overtly racist: ‘Stay in your place, black man.’ Just didn’t feel right to me. We need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated.”
“We are not saying we are not one the greatest countries in world,” she added. “Just need to accept that [it is] not perfect, things are broken.
“And quite honestly, being gay, I have stood with my hand over my heart during the national anthem and felt like I haven’t had my liberties protected, so I can absolutely sympathize with that feeling.”
A week later, the federation stated the officials did not agree with Rapinoe:
“Representing your country is a privilege and honor for any player or coach that is associated with U.S. Soccer’s National Teams. Therefore, our national anthem has particular significance for U.S. Soccer,” the statement read. “In front of national and often global audiences, the playing of our national anthem is an opportunity for our Men’s and Women’s National Team players and coaches to reflect upon the liberties and freedom we all appreciate in this country. As part of the privilege to represent your country, we have an expectation that our players and coaches will stand and honor our flag while the national anthem is played.”
None of that bothered Rapinoe, who vowed to keep kneeling for the anthem. But for the anniversary of 9/11, Rapinoe stood for the anthem and linked arms with her teammates.
Kaepernick, the man who started it all, announced this week he has decided to end his protest and instead concentrate on charity.
However, he decided this approach when he was still mulling over his 49ers contract. He opted out the next day, which means he’s looking for a new job.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Notice she’s not dedicated enough to her beliefs, to kneel on the concrete where her team mates are standing.
The snowflake has to kneel in the grass, instead.
Pissing-off your customers is not a good business model… somebody tell the NFL.
Rapinoe doesn’t think she has equality? Hell, she has special rights granted by scotus and she’s still whining.
The US is not good enough for Rapinoe? Maybe it’s time for her to move on to some better nation. Somewhere she can be all that she wants to be. The freedoms she has now are just not enough for her. The people who sacrificed so that she can disrespect them and their flag are not good enough for her either. Maybe she can play for Iran.
I have long been a fan of the US Women’s Soccer team and have appreciated Rapinoe’s skill, but I don’t think I’ll be able to watch them anymore as long as she remains on the squad. I’m sorry, but she doesn’t deserve to be representing a country she doesn’t appreciate.
Like Caepernick, Rapinoe is out of shape and playing poorly so she acts out politically to get attention. She’s been left of the team roster for the latest international tournament coming in March and has probably seen her last game. This is the act of someone looking for what comes after professional sports.
The ruling by the USSF is convenient as it allows them to sound like they are standing for something while they know that they probably won’t ever have to actually take a stand because she is not longer fit enough to play at that level.
Is Colin such a star QB that any team would want to hire him along with all the baggage, and possible future negative publicity, he brings ?
All 12 people who watch women’s soccer saw her kneel. The other 320M Americans were oblivious.
notice it is the whitest and least feminine looking one on the team that kneels…about right.