U.S. Men’s Soccer Coach Bruce Arena Questions The Use Of The National Anthem; “I Don’t Think It’s Appropriate”

Bruce Arena may be on to something.

It’s 2020, and America still patriotically clinches on to “patriotic” symbols created in and tied to a period of history that failed to embrace “equality and justice for all.” It would seem as though by 2020, America would have distanced itself from anything associated with the past era that oppressed African Americans, including, among others, the National Anthem.

However, many US citizens still highly honor the American flag, statues, and other historical “American” symbols to celebrate the country and honor the sacrifices of those who fought to protect it, which may be one reason African Americans are still held down.

In a recent discussion with ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, Former US National Men’s Soccer team coach Bruce Arena questioned if America should still play its National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” at professional sporting events.  

“I think it puts people in awkward positions…We don’t use the national anthem in movie theaters, and on Broadway, other events in the United States, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to have a national anthem before a baseball game, an MLS game,” He said. And pointed to the fact that “most” of the major league soccer players “standing on the field during the national anthem are  international players, they’re not even Americans.”

Arena is the coach of the New England Revolution soccer team and said he was “honored to represent the United States [as the coach] at World Cups and international matches” on two separate occasions.

“As the national team coach at times with the national anthem I was in tears,” he reflects and agrees with the playing of the anthem in those times are appropriate.

However, his withstanding question of “why we’re still playing the national anthem at professional sporting events in our country seems to be a good question, given its history, as well as the use and history of other pre-civil war and pre-segregation symbols.

According to CNN, in 1918, the kickoff game of the World Series was between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, it was during the seventh inning that the “Star-Spangled Banner” was played for the first time at a professional game. It was a somber time; America was at war, and it had been announced that baseball players would be included in the army draft. It’s been said that the song not only unified but also energized fans in the crowd. Soon after it was adopted at many sporting events and by the end of World War II, Elmer Layden, NFL Commissioner at the time, demanded the song be played at every football game. 

If America’s goal is to progress and move forward, it cannot do so, holding on to parts of history that are deeply rooted in times of slavery, segregation, and heavy oppression. Whether it is songs, confederate statues, and/or rebel flags, Americans must understand everyone will not see these one-sided patriotic songs and symbols as an opportunity to celebrate the US’s freedom if freedom and “all men” weren’t equal. To ask a person who stands for equality and justice to stand up and sing a song composed by Francis Scott Key, a slave owner and outspoken racist that once said African Americans were “a distinct and inferior race of people” is the utmost disrespect.  

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick caused controversy in the NFL when he chose to kneel in front of millions during the anthem. People claimed it was a sign of disrespect to those who fought for the country rather than to see it as disrespect to his blackness. But as we’ve learned, it really wasn’t how Kaepernick protested, but more so the “audacity” and the message of his protests.

Arena says he supports the former NFL quarterback and any other person’s right to kneel during the song and the recent string of events has proved the need for him and others to support and speak out for activists like Kaepernick that choose to bring awareness to prevalent racism, both individually and systematically. Arena says he understands why people are kneeling. “I think if they’re respectful, it’s appropriate,” he added.

“As an American and a white American, I’m embarrassed by the situation that in 2020 we have this kind of racism in our country. It’s not an accident that some of these murders are happening. There’s prejudice, and there’s racism, and this is a time when people have got to step and defend what’s right.”

Taking down the not-so “American” symbols will be a good start.