Question

What does kneeling during the national anthem mean.

Answer 1

Kneeling during the national anthem is a form of protest against racial injustice and police brutality, prominently initiated by NFL player Colin Kaepernick in 2016. It symbolizes solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and has been adopted by many athletes to highlight systemic oppression.

Step-by-step explanation:

Kneeling during the national anthem has become a symbol of protest against systemic oppression, particularly related to racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. The act gained widespread attention in 2016 when NFL player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the anthem in reaction to the shooting deaths of Black individuals by police. Kaepernick's gesture was meant to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to bring awareness to the issues faced by the Black community. Despite initial negative reactions, Kaepernick's kneeling sparked a larger movement within professional sports, leading to other athletes, both Black and White, joining in to kneel in solidarity during the national anthem. In the context of sculpture, a kneeling pose can also represent a timeless, permanent state, as mentioned by Steven with regards to an image of a king who is also a deity. The connection between an act of protest and a divine representation indicates the depth and gravity kneeling can symbolize in different contexts.

Answer 2

The gesture originated in a 2016 American football game, during which Colin Kaepernick and his 49ers teammate Eric Reid chose to kneel during the playing of the US national anthem, to call attention to the issues of racial inequality and police brutality