For the second consecutive game, U.S. women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe kneeled during the national anthem. This time she did so before the team’s game against Netherlands at the Georgia Dome. She did stand during the playing of Netherland’s national anthem.
Her protests, which she has been doing for several games as a player for the national team and at her club team, were met with disapproval by a small sample size of the spectators at the Georgia Dome. The crowd booed Rapinoe heartily when she came into the game in the 64th minute.
Mike McClure of Cumming was wearing a red U.S. soccer jersey with Rapinoe’s last name on the back. Speaking before the anthem was played, he said he bought the shirt before Rapinoe’s protests.
While he said he disagrees with her actions with the national team, he recognizes that she has a right to do it.
“I’m OK with her kneeling before games with her club,” he said. “But when she’s representing the national team, we stand to pledge allegiance to the flag, we should stand for the national anthem.”
During the team’s warmups, the camera stayed on Rapinoe for several seconds as she went through drils with her teammates and a conversation with coach Jill Ellis. There was no noticeable reaction from the crowd.
Recent acts of protest during the national anthem began with 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He refused to stand during the anthem before preseason games.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick was quoted as saying after a game against the Packers. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
His gesture has been repeated in various ways by numerous athletes, including Rapinoe.
She first kneeled before a game with her club team, Seattle. She planned on doing so again before the next game, but the owner of the opposing team pre-empted her protest by ordering the anthem to be played before the players took the field.
Instead of kneeling, Rapinoe locked arms with her teammates before a game being played on Sept. 11.
She knelt before Thursday’s game between the U.S. and Thailand in Columbus, Ohio. It was her first opportunity to protest as a national team player.
“We need to look at all the things the flag and the anthem represent and all the things it means, and is it protecting everybody?” Rapinoe told ESPN after the game. “There are people who don’t feel as protected as I do every day. I know it’s a time-honored tradition. Especially in a sports environment, it’s something the country is very passionate about, but there is a bigger conversation here that is more important than sports.”
Her action was criticized by the United States Soccer Federation, which issued this statement:
“Representing your country is a privilege and honor for any player or coach that is associated with U.S. Soccer’s National Teams. Therefore, our national anthem has particular significance for U.S. Soccer. In front of national and often global audiences, the playing of our national anthem is an opportunity for our Men’s and Women’s National Team players and coaches to reflect upon the liberties and freedom we all appreciate in this country. As part of the privilege to represent your country, we have an expectation that our players and coaches will stand and honor our flag while the national anthem is played.”
However, the USSF decided against punishing Rapinoe, according to a report by Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl on Sunday that came out before Sunday’s game.
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