Kneeling Does Not Disrespect the Flag
By: Heather M. Edwards
Tags: America, Politics, Equality, Culture, Confederate Flag

Kneeling Does Not Disrespect the Flag

But Do You Know How Many Things Explicitly Violate the U.S. Flag Code?

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American fencer and Olympic champion Race Imboden has joined the ranks of peaceful protestors utilizing their platform to advocate for their fellow Americans.¹

“We must call for change. This week I am honored to represent Team USA at the Pan Am Games, taking home Gold and Bronze. My pride however has been cut short by the multiple shortcomings of the country I hold so dear to my heart. Racism, Gun Control, mistreatment of immigrants, and a president who spreads hate are at the top of a long list. I chose to sacrifice my moment today at the top of the podium to call attention to issues that I believe need to be addressed. I encourage others to please use your platforms for empowerment and change.”²

Not all Americans experience America the same way. Just because we live in the same country does not mean we are living the same life. And Imboden leveraged his spotlight to shine a brighter light on racial injustice and violence in our country.

Yet this athlete kneeling before the flag has not reignited the same village-burning outrage as when Colin Kaepernick, guided by his collaboration with US Veteran Nate Boyer, knelt during the national anthem.³

After meeting with Boyer, the former Green Beret turned free agent NFL player, Kaepernick said: “We were talking to him about how can we get the message back on track and not take away from the military, not take away from pride in our country but keep the focus on what the issues really are. As we talked about it, we came up with taking a knee because there are issues that still need to be addressed and there was also a way to show more respect for the men and women that fight for this country.”³

Imboden isn’t facing a fraction of the blowback and subsequent fallout Kaepernick endured for his “disrespect”.

Although many cultures and religions historically equate kneeling with respect, a vocal contingent of self-proclaimed Christian patriots created more uproar over a genuflecting athlete than the fantastically long list of normalized merchandizing that explicitly violates the U.S. Flag Code.

Businesses can commodify our sacred symbolism to sell anything from mattresses to real estate under the self-servingly transparent guise of patriotism. But when a Black man silently speaks out against injustice the dog whistle heralds counterprotest with one code word: ungrateful.

Instead of extrapolating motive and assigning intention to kneeling athletes, let’s look at what the federal regulations themselves say.

The U.S. Flag Code, derived from the U.S. Code Title 4 Chapter 1 states: “Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart”

§9 above only dictates conduct “during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag”. It does not specify what athletes should do or are prohibited from doing during the national anthem.

U.S. Code Title 36 — PATRIOTIC AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES, CEREMONIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS reiterates, “all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart;”

I’m willing to be accused of splitting hairs here. Kneeling is not the same as standing at attention. But unless every last more-American-than-thou critic excoriating Kaepernick or anyone else kneeling during the national anthem confirms that they themselves do not violate a single tenet of the U.S. Flag Code in their apparel, possessions, decor or behavior, they remain enraged hypocrites.