Eagles rookie linebacker Myke Tavarres plans to sit out the national anthem on Thursday against the Jets.
It appears that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is not alone in his feelings about the state of America. After making headlines by sitting out the national anthem, Kaepernick won’t be alone for long. Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Myke Tavarres plans to do the same on Thursday against the New York Jets.
“Oh, I thought about it. Believe me, I definitely thought about it,” said Tavarres, via ESPN.com. “I was in the background [against the Indianapolis Colts], and it didn’t feel right to me at all, and so I will be taking a stand — or sitting down — for the fourth game.”
Tavarres says that he wants to do something about the issues that African-Americans face in this country. He says he wants to make a difference and be a role model. While Tavarres might be protesting in a different way than most, his courage is admirable.
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It’s impressive that Tavarres is willing to sit out the national anthem after seeing the backlash that Kaepernick has dealt with. Whether or not he is protesting in the best way is up for the debate. What is undeniable is that Kaepernick and Tavarres have every right to protest because of the first amendment. They aren’t immune from punishment from the league or their teams for their actions because freedom of speech only protects citizens from punishment from the government and its agencies.
Tavarres admits that he has nothing to lose as a rookie free agent. He attended the University of Incarnate Word in Texas. He isn’t nearly as famous as Kaepernick, so it should be interesting to see what kind of reaction Tavarres’ protest gets. Tavarres has yet to discuss his plans for Thursday with his coaches.