The national anthem has been around for many, many years. It was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, and was later adopted by the United States of America as the official anthem in 1931. This anthem is welcomed into schools across the country which involves the student body (voluntarily) to take a moment of silence to listen to blissful words being sung by another.

  Recently this social norm has been opposed with a movement concluding with kneeling during the national anthem, and respectfully not participating with the normality of crossing your right hand over your heart and being content with our country, and what it stands for.

  At the assembly that recently took place on Friday, October 6, students who were included in the movement to not participate in the national anthem in the traditional way, received very little positive reaction from the student body.

The Black Student Union released a statement saying  “No one really understands the movement nor do they truly listen.”

  This movement does not have any intentions of offending anyone, but exists to share the voices of those who find the country hypocritical due to oppressing the black community. Though the anthem does not say anything outright discriminatory, it does have negative connotations associated with it such as symbolic representation that doesn’t apply to everyone. Originally this movement started with the NFL, with African-American football players taking a knee against police brutality, and has now become a controversial issue across the nation between those who find it disrespectful to kneel, and those who find the country unfair to those of color.

  “I kneel before that flag as a plea, a plea of equal justice. Since the 2017 election the amount of discrimination, racism, sexism, and so much else that has taken over this nation that now is nothing but hatred and madness,” senior Citlaly Arroyo said.

  Voices that choose to share their opinion should not be silenced nor disregarded just because their point of view does not agree with the audience. Everyone has different backgrounds and some have overcome many unfortunate challenges, so people have the right to talk about their history and their perspective on how they view this country in regards to their beliefs and opinions that don’t seem to agree with the words being spoken among fellow Americans.