As January ends, the National Football League (NFL) season also comes to a close. This season has been one of the most controversial (causing people to disagree) seasons ever. When two teams meet in the Super Bowl, the final game of the season, some people will be more focused on the controversy than the football.
It started last season. A player named Colin Kaepernik began to kneel instead of stand for the National Anthem. He did it to protest the way African Americans were treated by the police. He is no longer playing in the NFL. But many other players are choosing to kneel.
Not everybody is happy with this form of protest. Some people feel the National Anthem is not an appropriate time to protest. They think that kneeling during the national anthem disrespects all the people in the military who have fought for our country. President Donald Trump spoke out against the protests. He told the owners of NFL teams that they should fire anybody that kneels during the National Anthem.
The next week, many owners joined their players on the field to kneel together during the National Anthem. They felt the players should be supported as they speak out about something important to them.
Football fans do not agree about the protests. Some are angry at the NFL for allowing it. Some are angry at the NFL because they think they are not supporting the protests enough. The controversy has hurt the NFL. Its ratings are down. This means fewer people are watching football games on television this year. During the Super Bowl, millions of people will still be watching. Many of them will be watching to see if players kneel during the National Anthem.
What Do You Think? When do you think it is appropriate to protest for something you believe in? When do you think it is inappropriate?
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