A new feature of NFL pre-game analysis is the discussion of what postures players will take during the national anthem. Will they follow the lead of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and kneel? Will they link arms, like the Seattle Seahawks?
With the NBA pre-season beginning next week, journalists seem more interested in the possibility of anthem protests than in the odds of Cleveland repeating. The league’s two most popular players, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, have already announced their intention to stand during the anthem, while also expressing support for those who choose to protest.
But it’s not only famous players in the biggest leagues getting attention for these protests. Earlier this month, Megan Rapinoe, a midfielder for the Seattle Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League, knelt during the pre-game national anthem. She explained she did so to show support for Kaepernick, and because “we need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated.” – READ MORE
