U.S. women’s soccer star Carli Lloyd was asked by a reporter Tuesday why she chose to stand for the playing of our national anthem.
Over the past four years, kneeling during the anthem has become popularized for professional athletes as a way to ostensibly protest “systemic racism” and alleged racially-charged police brutality.
“I think the beauty of this team is that we stand behind each other, no matter what,” Lloyd said in response. “And uh, some players decided to kneel, and some players decided to stand, and at the end of the day, we have each other’s backs.”
“Ultimately, we’re here to support one another in any way that we can, and that’s what’s amazing about this team,” she added.
Outkick criticized the backlash aimed at Lloyd for her choice to stand, and for the framing of the media’s question.
“There’s controversy over that statement? No, there isn’t. Her statement isn’t the problem,” Outkick argued. “The real problem is that she stood for the national anthem, while other players knelt. Our national media has become an echo chamber that seeks to separate conservative and liberal voices. Many on social media presume that players who are personally against kneeling must be part of the political opposition. It’s sad that this is how our national media spends their time.”
“US women’s soccer player Carli Lloyd is being ripped for choosing to stand for the national anthem,” Clay Travis, founder of Outkick, posted via Twitter. “This is where we are[.] it’s now BRAVER to stand for the anthem than to kneel.”
US women’s soccer player Carli Lloyd is being ripped for choosing to stand for the national anthem. This is where we are it’s now BRAVER to stand for the anthem than to kneel. https://t.co/zAgvZ8a3aw
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 19, 2021
In November, the women’s soccer team wore “Black Lives Matter” jerseys and kneeled for the national anthem while on foreign soil in the Netherlands. Black Lives Matter is a radical anti-police group that has promoted the national defunding of police and the dismantling of the nuclear family.
As reported by The Daily Wire, the soccer team came out of the locker room in warmup shirts that read, “Black Lives Matter,” and nearly every member of the team kneeled as the anthem played.
“We love our country, and it is a true honor to represent America. It is also our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms that our country was founded on extend to everyone,” said a statement from the team.
“Today, we wear Black Lives Matter to affirm human decency. We protest against racial injustice and police brutality against Black people. We protest against the racist infrastructures that do not provide equal opportunity for Black and brown people to fulfill their dreams, including playing on this team,” the statement continued.
“As the United States Women’s National team players, we collectively work toward a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systematically targeted,” the team said, adding, “Black Lives Matter.”
The United States Soccer Federation posted a similar statement on its website, The Daily Wire highlighted:
Black Lives Matter.
We wear Black Lives Matter to affirm human decency. This is not political, it’s a statement on human rights. As a team, we work towards a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systemically targeted. We collectively acknowledge injustice, as that is the first step in working towards correcting it.
To honor the words of the great John Lewis:
“When you see something that is not right,
not fair,
not just,
say something,
do something,
get in trouble, good trouble, necessary trouble!”Black Lives Matter.
WATCH:
Here is Carli Lloyd's explanation for standing during the national anthem before yesterday's #USWNT game against Colombia. Shout out to @thegoalkeeper for asking the question: pic.twitter.com/u6uaejPu3A
— Meredith Cash (@mercash22) January 19, 2021
Related: U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Don BLM Shirts And Kneel For National Anthem On Foreign Soil