Story by Ty Smith, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few weeks, you’ve probably heard of Colin Kaepernick, the NFL football player and, apparently more importantly, a man who dared not to stand during the National Anthem. His personal protest sparked a national conversation on whether or not people should be required to stand during the Anthem, or whether we should have an anthem at all.

While it’s polite to stand during the anthem, I believe it’s entirely within someone’s rights not to. Whether you have a protest against the government, the anthem itself, or simply don’t want to, it is your right to sit and it cannot be taken away. There’s many people arguing that while it is a right, if you do not stand, you’re spitting on the soldiers who gave you that right. I argue that if you wish to use that right, and do not use it in fear of offending soldiers, you’re spitting on them then instead. After all, what use is a right if it’s unused?

In the end, people have made much too large a deal over such a small protest. It’s your right not to stand during the anthem, and if you’re offended, you can be offended in silence, without shaming people for exercising their rights.

About the Writer…

Ty Smith is from a small town located in the thumb of Michigan. He loves writing, reading, music, and video games. He also believes that cats are better than dogs.