Educational facilities in the United States of America have begun reopening, prompting their respective sports teams to resume operations. One state that permitted High School to open for students in Iowa, with it being announced that young adults from Theodore Roosevelt High School that hold positions on their baseball team kneeled during the national anthem. This effort was made in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Iowa is a predominantly Caucasian state located in the Mid-West of America, which prompted some backlash against the Roosevelt Roughriders Baseball Team. It was initially announced via social media that players would kneel during their 1st match of the 2020 season, with them ignoring critics when the time came & stepping out of the dugout on June 18th. Players were seen linking their arms while kneeling, which references that the Black Lives Matter movement cannot be broken.
Players were questioned on how they thought about the decision to kneel. The Senior Outfield mentioned that they’re merely trying to show appreciation to the African American Community. Jayden Singleton clarified that their choice is about social justice, which should be provided to all races. Sentiments were ended by remarking that by kneeling together as a team, it’s more reliable than the occasional player kneeling at random.
The Reason for Kneeling
Colin Kaepernick was the 1st to protest police brutality & systemic racism in professional sports. Playing for the National Football League, the San Francisco 49ers Quarterback had knelt during the national anthem back in 2019. These actions saw a significant backlash against Kaepernick & the National Football League, which prompted internal punishments towards Colin. The effects of Colin Kaepernick prompted Donald Trump to demand the NFL eliminate all footballers that knelt during the anthem, calling it disrespectful to soldiers that have fallen for their country.
The NFL would ultimately change their mindset against kneeling in 2020 after the murdering of George Floyd. It’s not known how Major League Baseball will react to systemic racism in professional sports. Right now the primary concern for Rob Manfred & the Major League Baseball Players Association is maintaining a seasonal-play agreement.