In 2016, was it disrespectful or an act of real courage, when Colin Kaepernick “took a knee” while the National Anthem was sung? It is the latter – why? His silent and powerfully visible act drew national attention to the hypocrisy embedded within said anthem, namely “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Since this incident, other professional athletes have also taken a knee in protest. Now, the question is, should We the People also take a knee?
Why, what hypocrisy? In 1814, when Francis Scott Key penned the stirring lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” slavery had been operating in this country for almost 200 years. In reality, as a slaveholder himself, Key knew “the land of the free” was inhabited by thousands of slaves and indentured servants (1.1 million slaves by 1810), who were definitely not “free.” The hypocrisy, therefore, was the juxtaposition between his words as a slaveholder and the verifiable truth. It is no wonder, therefore, that Kaepernick took a knee in protest to this blatant hypocrisy.
Given the totality of events having taken place since Key’s written words, not insignificant progress has been made (namely Emancipation Proclamation, 13th and 14th amendments, etc.) toward achieving equal rights and protection under the laws, but the journey to bravely advocate for the eradication of systemic racism, and to provide all Americans with equality without any exceptions, is still ongoing. Until We the People are all truly free, the last line of our national anthem should read: “O’er the land of the nearly, almost, supposedly free and the home of the yet-to-be brave.”
John Mishler
Harpswell
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