Episode 21: Sports, Patriotism, and Social Justice

If you live in the United States, then it’s almost football season. Even if you’re the kind of non-fan that likes to unaffectionately refer to it as “sports ball” you’re likely aware of the current President of the United States’ ongoing war with players — led by blackballed former quarterback Colin Kaepernick — who have been kneeling during the playing of the national anthem in protest for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The President has called for the kneeling players to be fired, and yet their protests persist. At one point, the NFL even took steps to require that players stand or face fines. They have since backed down because of fan backlash. At the same time, many fans who are against the protest continue to argue that “politics have no place in sports” or that the players are working and should “protest on their own time.” But how true is this? What is the history of social justice protest in the world of sports? Do the players protest on their own time? How legal is it? On this episode, Mav is joined by the returning Hannah Lee Rogers, Danny Anderson and newcomer Donté Dunnagan to discuss racism, the NFL protests, and politics as they relate to sports in general. Citations and Links: * This episode’s Call for Comments * 18 U.S. Code § 227 * 4 U.S. Code Chapter 1 – The Flag * West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette * Texas v. Johnson * “NFL teams being on the field for anthem is a relatively new practice” by Tom E. Curran * “They didn’t #TakeTheKnee: The Black Power protest salute that shook the world in 1968” by DeNeen L. Brown * “For The Last Time: NFL Ratings Are Not Down. They’re Up, Compared To Everything Else” by Timothy Burke * Desiring the Kingdom by James K.A. Smith * Check out the #HonorKaep hashtag started by @ProfChander on Twitter * Thank you to Maximilian’s thoughtForm Music for our theme * Listen to Danny Anderson’s Sectarian Review Podcast: https://www.sectarianreviewpodcast.com * Follow Hannah on Twitter: @hannahleeroger...