The Major League Baseball season started this week but not without controversy from among many players taking a knee during the playing of the National Anthem to silently protest police brutality against black lives in America. A protest that was made famous by NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick in 2016, after retired Green Beret Nate Boyer suggested that kneeling (instead of sitting on the bench while the anthem was playing) was more respectful to former and current U.S. military members.
While it was frowned upon by the MLB in seasons past, due to the recent events this year and regarding a police incident that involved the killing of George Floyd, professional sports have changed their stances on allowing players to demonstrate peacefully by kneeling during the National Anthem. Not only is it allowed it is encouraged and praised, as well as providing players with social justice patches to wear on their jerseys in support of Black Lives Matter.
The season opener against the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers saw they entire Giants team, including coaches take a knee during the anthem aside from one player. Pitcher Sam Coonrod stood alone while holding the unity ribbon provided by the league while all his other teammates knelt.
When asked why the relief pitcher didn’t kneel, he responded, “I’m a Christian. So I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God.” The relief pitcher also added that he, “can’t get on board with a couple of things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism and… they said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can’t get on board with that.” Coonrod said he doesn’t have any ‘ill will’ for those that have knelt or decide to do so.
