Anthem represents us all

The American flag and national anthem were sacred symbols of hope for pioneering black civil rights leaders who fought for racial justice.

Five months before giving his patriotic “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. led marchers 54 miles from Selma, Ala., to the state capitol in Montgomery. The march helped forge the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Marchers carried a large American flag every step. Thousands carried hand-held flags.

Before reaching Montgomery, marchers planted an American flag on the side of the road in a gesture reminiscent of Iwo Jima. Later that day, marchers stopped in the village of St. Jude on the outskirts of Montgomery. Supporters greeted them with the national anthem.

The anthem symbolized the vision of a country in which minorities could excel and prosper. They could not have foreseen the day a young Colin Kaepernick would earn $126 million to play football for seven years.

More progress lies ahead, but yesterday’s star-spangled civil rights battles achieved great things. In the 1950s, one in seven adult black Americans held high school diplomas compared with one in three whites. Today, 85 percent of black adults have diplomas compared with 89 percent of whites. Most black households lived below poverty 50 years ago. Today, nearly 70 percent are middle class or above.

The anthem stands for white America, black America, conservative America, liberal America, religious America, atheist America, Democratic America, Republican America, gay-rights America and more.

In an inspired guest column for the New York Times last week, San Francisco 49ers’ strong safety Eric Reid put a new spin on NFL anthem kneeling. Before joining Kaepernick in protesting the anthem, the two discussed “systemic oppression against people of color, police brutality and the criminal justice system.”

“We chose to kneel because it’s a respected gesture,” Reid explained. “I remember thinking our posture was like a flag flown at half-mast to mark tragedy. It baffles me that our protest is still being misconstrued as disrespectful to the country, flag and military personnel. We chose it because it’s exactly the opposite.”

Thank you for that, Mr. Reid. What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. NFL fans have feared their children, watching heroes on TV, would learn to disrespect their country. The resource-rich NFL needs to help distribute and communicate Reid’s sincere explanation.

The United States is not perfect. Anthem kneelers express real concerns. They probably love the country, the flag and all it stands for.

The anthem and flag don’t represent injustice. They honor our country’s constant struggle to expand liberty and justice for all. Most Americans, including those who kneel, share this vision.

Players and their fans should move forward with actions and deeds that will correct injustice and help this country heal. Let’s do so with clearly stated respect for a flag and anthem that represents us all.