Is it wrong that professional athletes have recently been taking a knee during the American National Anthem in effort to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement and stand up against police brutality? In short, I believe it is more than acceptable. Opinions are opinions, there are always two sides of something can be viewed. If the majority of the society is in an understanding of one opinion, and only a few in the other opinion, it does not make it just to completely negate the minorities voice. We must accept the nonconforming voices in order to move forward as a greater society.
To be clear, it does not mean that the non-conformists ideas are more correct or less correct, but it does mean they should be heard. In my liberty work, I wrote, “If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.” It is no more right to silence the minority than it is to silence the majority.
An athlete taking a stand for what they believe in is becoming more of a regularity. Colin Kaepernick’s display during a professional football game may have been one of the original non-conforming acts that started it all. “In this age, the mere example of non-conformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service. Precisely because the tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach, it is desirable, in order to break through that tyranny, that people should be eccentric. Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage which it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric, marks the chief danger of the time.” Kaepernick displayed courage inorder to stand up for the Black Lives Matter movement in such a non-conforming way. With his actions he brought forth incredible dialogue and awareness to both himself, and the Black Lives Matter movement. It takes an eccentric person to do such an eccentric thing. It is good that people are allowed to chose to not stand during the national anthem because it allows for more opinions to be voiced. Allowing more opinions to be voiced we will be able to have access to more of truth, and having a more truthful society, we will have a greater society. Even though Colin Kaepernick’s actions may not be the desired actions of the majority, individuals can decide to punish them inside of their own opinions, not by the Law, or in this case, the NFL. With personal expression and freedom comes happiness, the more individual happiness will lead to more overall society-wide happiness.
In order for our society to move forward intellectually and improve overall we need to allow non-conformists to speak and show their opinions and what they believe to be true. If we refuse to allow nonconformists like Kaepernick to voice and act upon their voice and opinions we cannot expect to grow as a society, therefore improve our society greater happiness.