When former San Francisco 49ers  quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee to protest inequality there was an uproar over what some deemed to be a disrespectful action. There was a split amongst the public towards Kaepernick’s actions. Some believed he was merely expressing his first amendment right to protest and supported him. Others felt he was not only disrespecting the country, but those who have served and died for the freedom that we enjoy in the United States.

As Kaepernick continued to protest, the debate over if his actions were right or wrong only heated up.

We now fast forward a year later to September 24, 2017 and not only is the the entirety of the NFL not standing with their hand over their heart but players, coaches, and team owners alike are standing on the sideline with their arms locked together.  A large number of players kneeled and in some extreme cases, such as with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, the entire team did not come to the field during the anthem (this is with the exception of one member of the Steelers left guard Alejandro Villanueva who is a former army ranger).

The original motivefor the mass protest was different than it was a year ago when Kaepernick began protesting. The protests by the NFL were in response to comments made by President Donald Trump, urging for NFL players to be fired or suspended if they choose to protest during the star spangled banner.  He used an expletive to describe the protesting players and even began to attack rule changes made to make game play in the NFL safer, saying the the league was going “soft”.

A year ago, I wrote an article about Colin Kaepernick’s protest and while I agreed with his cause of protest I strongly disagreed with his timing. As I watched the NFL games on September 24, I was filled with mixed emotions. I still didn’t agree with protesting during the national anthem, but for some reason as I watched I felt sympathy for the protesting players.

The players were now protesting their first amendment right to freedom of speech. As a student journalist this is very important to me because it directly affects the line of work that I wish to pursue.

Despite my support for the first amendment, once again timing unsettled me.

The star spangled banner is a time to remember and appreciate those who serve, not a time to get a point across.

I don’t agree with not standing for the flag but I don’t disagree with the right to protest. If someone wants to protest during the anthem for a cause that they feel just, who am I to oppose their right.

I wish that in the future we will one day see all members of the NFL standing shoulder to shoulder with their hand over their heart, but for the present time I have to accept the action and the reason in why players are either locking arms are kneeling on the sidelines. I have to applaud them because while they may not have had their hand over their hearts, the members of the NFL on September 24 were standing united together for one cause.

In a time when the country is so heavily divided, unity is exactly what is needed.

I just ask as someone who loves this country that as the anthem is playing whether you sit, stand, kneel, or put your hand over your heart that we don’t forget those who have fought for this country because without their service none of us would even have the right to protest in the first place.