Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks took a knee during the national anthem for Saturday’s game, expressing frustration over social injustice.
Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks made their views on the social issues facing the country clear on Saturday night, kneeling during the national anthem prior to their game against the Washington Nationals.
Both Stanton and Hicks are taking a knee during the Anthem. pic.twitter.com/gPLiDguxhj
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) July 25, 2020
And honestly, I could not be prouder of the New York Yankees outfielders.
With Major League Baseball standing as the only in-season sport during the COVID-19 pandemic, all eyes are on the players. Many have taken the increased attention to express their displeasure with the social injustices plaguing America by kneeling for the national anthem.
Stanton and Hicks joined the list of players aiming to draw attention to those injustices.
Sure, they may garner some heat from more conservative Yankee fans. People will claim they’re “disrespecting the flag and those who serve.”
But five minutes of research will prove that opinion incorrect. Ever since Colin Kaepernick first kneeled for the anthem, it’s been abundantly clear that disrespecting the flag and the troops has never been a part of the silent protest. Its aim, from beginning to present, has been to draw attention to the injustices that people of color face in this country, both on a daily basis and across generations of systemic issues.
And the protests won’t stop here. Stanton and Hicks announced that they plan to continue kneeling for the anthem.
Giancarlo Stanton says he will also continue kneeling during the anthem.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 26, 2020
Giancarlo Stanton says he will continue to kneel for the National Anthem.
"It's for basic human rights. It's not equal. It's for equality and for us all to have a fair shake. There's a lot of things in the system that need to be changed. It's just a way to bring light to that."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 26, 2020
Yankees' Aaron Hicks says he will continue to take a knee during anthem. “As a Black man living in America…I should be judged by my character and not by my skin tone.’’ Boone supported decisions of Hicks & Stanton. Hicks: DJLM's on field gesture of support "meant everything.''
— Pete Caldera (@pcaldera) July 26, 2020
This is exactly what the country needs. High profile athletes on the biggest stages in baseball drawing attention to the issues.
Of course, some minds can’t be changed. Some people will continue to ignore facts and regurgitate the catchphrases their favorite political pundits feed them.
But it doesn’t take a genius to see that Stanton and Hicks are morally just for taking a stand. Obviously, kneeling isn’t for the people that can’t be convinced. It’s meant for the people unfamiliar with the issues who may be inspired to learn and help drive meaningful change.
Respect to Stanton and Hicks for taking a stand by refusing to stand. For now, the least we can do as fans is try to understand their perspective and work towards making improvements to our society.
