Page 35 - Oct Nov 2017

NFL Players Kneeling During National Anthem: How Colin Kaepernick Started a Movement and Why

veyed were decidedly split approving of the protest, the hashtag #takeaknee.

on how they felt about the per the Quinnipiac poll. On Sept. 27, members of
protest on its own. Trump’s initial comments the New York City Coun-
The Quinnipiac University back in September gal- cil took a knee on the

P Poll found that 58 percent vanized those who felt steps of City Hall to show

O of American voters felt strongly opposed to the their support for the NFL
L Trump’s feud with play- kneeling protest into ac- and the movement Kaepe-
I ers, coaches and staff over tion. Football fans once rnick sparked. “We de-

C the peaceful protest was again outraged over the cided it was time to show
E inappropriate, while 34 controversy posted videos again that one, we believe
percent said it was OK. of burned jerseys, game in free speech and two,

B Republicans were the tickets and other memo- that protesting is the most
R only group in the poll that rabilia on social media American thing one can

U found Trump’s remarks under the hashtag #NFL- do; it is in fact the only
T appropriate, with 67 per- BurnNotice. thing that ever propelled

A cent siding with the presi- this country to move for-
L dent. As evidence of how po- ward,” said Councilman
I larizing the protest has Jumaane D. Williams (D-

T Americans themselves become, the hashtag #Im- Brooklyn) of the group’s
Y were split nearly down the WithKap, in reference to message to Trump.
middle on whether they Kaepernick, also gained Trump’s comments a dis-

disapprove of kneeling traction on Twitter. Many traction?
during the national an- supporters also posted
them, with 52 percent dis- photos of themselves or Many have argued that

approving and 43 percent others taking a knee with the controversy has taken

West Virginia Tech Volleyball Team, Photo Courtesy of google.com

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