There are those who believe by kneeling Kaepernick and other athletes have brought attention to social awareness, while others have called the protests unpatriotic or disrespectful.
A photo of a professional soccer player with Butler County ties standing while her teammates took a knee during the national anthem late last month has added to that debate.
The picture of Samantha Leshnak-Murphy, a backup goalie for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League appeared on social media and caused thousands of comments from those in support and against her actions.
Before the June 27 game against the Portland Thorns in Herriman, Utah, the players met in the hotel and agreed to wear “Black Lives Matter” T-shirts during warm-ups, then kneel during the national anthem. Leshnak-Murphy told her teammates she would feel “uncomfortable” not standing during the anthem.
That’s when Leshnak-Murphy, 23 , who attended elementary school in Lakota and graduated from Mount Notre Dame High School and the University of North Carolina, decided to stand.
“I knew it was a big moment,” Leshnak-Murphy told the Journal-News in her first interview since the incident. “I knew I would have to live with my decision. It was the best decision for me. But I had to be true to me.”
As a saxophonist played the national anthem in the stadium that was near-empty because of coronavirus precautions, Leshnak-Murphy closed her eyes due to the “heaviness of the moment,” she said from her hotel room in Utah.
It was important for the second-year player to express herself and not simply follow her teammates, she said.
“When I wake up every morning, I try to please my God,” she said. “Be a good and faithful servant.”
Her stepmother, Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix, posted the picture on her Facebook page, and it has received more than 1,000 likes, 344 comments and 311 shares.
Nix said she felt “pride” when she saw the picture of her step-daughter.
“I know Sam the person,” Nix said. “She is as high quality of person as you will ever meet. She’s very special, very Christian. She loves all people and she loves her country. She’s very grounded to her faith, country and family.”
The Courage and Thorns released a joint statement on the day of the game.
“We took a knee today to protest racial injustice, police brutality, and systemic racism against Black people and people of color in America. We love our country and we have taken this opportunity to hold it to a higher standard. It is our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms this nation was founded upon are extended to everyone,” the statement read.
In the wake of the Kaepernick incident, the Ohio High School Athletic Association released a memo to all OHSAA officials regarding the organization’s policy.
“As officials, you are there to officiate,” it said. “It is not within the purview of officials to make judgments on personal, social, or political opinions of any player or coach. It is neither proper nor warranted for officials to express their pleasure or displeasure with how players act during the national anthem.”
The memo continued, regarding the stance of officials during the anthem: “As OHSAA officials, it is our expectation that you stand and face the flag during the national anthem. Athletes and coaches have their expectations set by their school. These expectations are set by the school (and) are not within the official’s purview.”
Tim Stried, director of communications for the OHSAA, said the policy is to ask for spectators and athletes to rise and face the flag for the national anthem. But, he said, there is no penalty if that policy is not followed.
School officials said there could be more high school players kneeling during the national anthem when sports resume.
Steve Shuck, commissioner of the Greater Miami Conference for 24 years, said he isn’t aware of the conference addressing players who choose to protest during the national anthem.
Considering the racial unrest and the impact it could have this high school season, Shuck called it “a different time” in our history. He said the GMC is adding as part of its mission statement a paragraph about how all people must be respected.
Dirt Allen, a Badin High School spokesman and former sports editor of the Hamilton JournalNews, said those who stand are choosing to “respect” the national anthem.
“Just because you don’t kneel for the national anthem doesn’t mean you don’t support Black Lives Matter or are not concerned with systemic racism or episodes of police brutality,” he said. “You’re just choosing to respect the national anthem when it’s being played. It doesn’t have to be an either-or situation.”
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