Cons for kneeling during the national anthem

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay

When looking for information about a particular issue, how often do you try to resist biases toward your own point of view? This assignment asks you to engage in this aspect of critical thinking.
The assignment is divided into two (2) parts.
For Part I of the assignment (due Week 2), you read a book excerpt about critical thinking processes, reviewed the Procon.org Website in order to gather information, and engaged in prewriting to examine your thoughts.
* Remember that in the Week 2 Discussion, you examined the biases discussed in Chapter 2 of the webtext.

In Part II of the assignment (due Week 4), you will write a paper to synthesize your ideas.
Part II – Writing
Write at three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:
1. State your position on the topic you selected for Assignment 1.1.
2. Identify (3) three premises (reasons) from the Procon.org website that support your position and explain why you selected these specific reasons.
3. Explain your answers to the “believing” questions about the three (3) premises opposing your position from the Procon.org website.
4. Examine at least two (2) types of biases that you likely experienced as you evaluated the premises for and against your position.
5. Discuss the effects of your own enculturation or group identification that may have influenced your biases.
6. Discuss whether or not your thinking about the topic has changed after playing the “Believing Game,” even if your position on the issue has stayed the same.
The paper should follow guidelines for clear and organized writing:
Include an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.
Address main ideas in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.
Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Identify the informal fallacies, assumptions, and biases involved in manipulative appeals and abuses of language.
Create written work utilizing the concepts of critical thinking.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in critical thinking skills and informal logic.

CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS PART 1

Conflicting Viewpoints Part 1

Introduction

Is declining to stand for the national anthem a suitable form of protest? Yes, it is justified for one to refuse to rise when the flag is being raised when we believe that our freedoms and rights are curtailed because of one or two things. Based on this topic, those who began it like Colin Kaepernick are justified because they are fighting for the rights of African Americans. Black people are killed without any course, checked on the roads and suspicious arrested and justice delayed. Based on such injustices, I have every reason to support the national anthem protest. However, there are others that understand that it is wrong to refuse to stand for the national anthem whatever the case.

The following are the Cons for refusing to stand;

1. Declining to stand for the national anthem shows disrespect for the flag and branches of the armed forces.

a. What is interesting or helpful about this view

This view is unusual in the sense that it enables me to see the other side of the coin. People that have not been in the military will not know how important it is to honor the national flag. This must be the very purpose why most of those who oppose this protest mention the army.

b. What would I notice if I believed this view?

If I believed this view, I would notice that those who support it are on the wrong. I will be able to see why we need to respect the flag. I will notice that the flag is a simple that unites us all. It will remind me of how our heroes fought for this country, and even some lost their lives.

c. In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?"

This idea could be true if the United States flag were only for the military. I think that the flag is for us all, children, teachers, the military, accountants, and engineers among others are all under the same constitution.

2. Not standing for the national flag is an ineffective and counterproductive way to promote a cause.

a. What is interesting or helpful about this view

When you fail to stand for the national anthem and flag, people will view you as one who disregards the country rather than knows your cause. I fact, most people will hear more about your critics rather than your purpose.

b. What would I notice if I believed this view?

I noticed that not standing for the national anthem and flag has been stereotyped to be for the minorities. Rather than people viewing it as a way of separation between the majority and the minority. It is also unproductive because it separated people who have the same vision. For instance, Obama is a black American, who will want to see equality and yet he was opposed to the idea of kneeling (Casteel, 2017).

c. In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?"

This condition can be true when there are alternative ways of solving the problems that the minorities face.

3. Refusing to stand for the National Anthem offends many people and instills division in our country.

a. What is interesting or helpful about this view

This view disassociates with anything that may cause division among the Americans. Indeed we should be mindful of what divides us and shun them.

b. What would I notice if I believed this view?

53% of Americans do not approve this idea of protests when the national flag is raised. Most of them even want NFL team owners to develop measures to punish those who kneel during the national anthem (Clement & Guskin, 2017).

c. In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?"

Just recently, people were burning Nikes shoes and products because of using Kaepernick to endorse the product. The way our president opposes the idea of kneeling and the military also shows that this idea of kneeling is unwelcome in many quarters. Trump stated that "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out — he's fired!'" (Szoldra, 2017).

Conclusion

In our daily lives, we are often forced to choose between two or more things. Some people will end up determining what we hate or do not approve of. Whichever the case, it helps to bring out a debate so that we understand each other's reason for choosing a given scenario. We tend to believe that what we know or feel it is the best yet the truth is, we have ideas that make us do so. Just like in this paper, It may or may not be right what a flag is being raised or during the singing of the national anthem.

References

Casteel, K. (2017). How Do Americans Feel About The NFL Protests? It Depends On How You Ask. Retrieved from https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-do-americans-feel-about-the-nfl-protests-it-depends-on-how-you-ask/

Clement, S. & Guskin, E. (2017). Poll: 53 percent of Americans say it’s ‘never appropriate’ to kneel during the national anthem. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/05/23/poll-53-percent-of-americans-say-its-never-appropriate-to-kneel-during-the-national-anthem/?noredirect=on

Szoldra, P. (2017). What some us troops really think about Colin Kaepernick and kneeling during the national anthem. Retrieved from https://taskandpurpose.com/troops-kaepernick-national-anthem-trump/

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