National Anthem Singer Takes A Knee During The Final Verse [VIDEO]
By: Evan Jankens
@kingofthekc
The NBA has started their preseason and everyone is eager to see if the Pistons will win the Eastern Conference, wondering if Derek Rose will get hurt again and pondering if the Golden State Warriors can win the NBA Championship with Kevin Durant on their team.
Also there's this: Just as Colin Kaepernick takes a knee during the national anthem, there are protests with NBA players linking arms during the national anthem. What's next?
Leah Tysse, who sang the national anthem before a Sacramento Kings preseason game, decided to take a stance while singing.
During the final lines of the song she went down to one knee.
She took to her Facebook page to explain why she did so:
Why I took a knee while singing the Anthem at a Sacramento Kings NBA game: This act embodies the conflict many of us feel. I love and honor my country as deeply as anyone yet it is my responsibility as an American to speak up against injustice as it affects my fellow Americans. I have sung the anthem before but this time taking a knee felt like the most patriotic thing I could do. I cannot idly stand by as black people are unlawfully profiled, harassed and killed by our law enforcement over and over and without a drop of accountability. I believe that the majority of police are good and are against this too and as a nation we all need to speak up. We should all be outraged and demand justice and an end to the brutality. Let's look around our communities for those facilitating healthy interactions between law enforcement and communities of color and support.
She also has over 1,000 comments on that post which range from, "Your a disgrace," to " I'm a Soldier and I support her and Kaepernick!!! I don't feel disrespected at all!!!"
Now the question is: Do you think Tysse did the right thing by taking a knee?