Controversy brewing on Rocky Top

There seems to be a controversy brewing on Rocky Top. We’ve seen controversy at Texas over the traditional “eyes of Texas” song that has been played for years at Longhorn football games, the players don’t want to play it because they believe it has “racist overtones” which is weird since the song has no mention of race, so i don’t see what they are talking about there.

At Tennessee though, the controversy has to do with our National Anthem. GOP senators are seeking to ban protest during the playing of the National Anthem. The ETSU men's basketball team has kneeled for the anthem, while the Tennessee Lady Vols have kneeled, or stayed in the locker room during the playing of the Anthem. There have been concerns raised over how exactly you would enforce such laws or “bans”. Some have suggested the school's funding could be cut, which would definitely be one way to have the schools obey any sort of ban.

Now I will give my opinion on the issue: The National Anthem should be respected. The people who have fought and died for the country should not be disrespected. The flag should not be disrespected. When I see a widow being gave a folded flag, or when I see a wounded veteran doing whatever it takes to stand during the anthem, I think the least a sports team can do is stand and put your hand over their heart. We will never heal with such division. There are ways to protest that does not involve kneeling during the Anthem. Kneel before the Anthem, or after, just don’t do it during. That’s all I have to say.