First it was Colin Kaepernick in the NFL. Others followed suit, exercising their right to free speech by kneeling for the National Anthem.

Bruce Maxwell was the first in the MLB, kneeling for the National Anthem during today's game against Texas.

This is an important issue and hot take on not only politics, but how this act also passes down to my generation of how we approach things in life. Do you consider kneeling an affective way to draw attention to an issue? Better yet, do these players know what they are protesting specifically? How does this

My next question is, should there be one, who would be the first to take a knee in the NHL? What would be the response from management, or the media for that matter?

This entire thing is completely immature. If Kaepernick wanted to protest, there are much better ways to do it than by disrespecting the country. If he doesn't like what's happening in the USA, he can leave. Nobody is forcing him to stay in the United States. There are men and women that lay down their lives for this country every single day, and that's what he does during the national anthem? It's disgusting. While it does draw attention to the subject, it's the wrong type of attention. I guarantee you he came up with a million better ways to protest, but he chose this one because it would get his name out there. What a douche

If an NHL player ever does that, I would immediately lose all respect for him. If his team/management backs him up, I lose all respect for the team. Even if it's the Caps

I also agree that kneeling is idiotic. Simply saying that there is racism somewhere out there in the ether is ill-minded. Jim Crow and other racist laws have since been outlawed, and have very minimal impact on what is happening right now. For those who protest because of historical racism, I can't do anything to change history other than not being racist, which is very easy to not be racist.

I also agree that Trump's comments on owners firing players is idiotic. Free speech is free speech. Hate speech is free speech. If they want to kneel, they can kneel.

I also agree that there is no government force compelling you to live in the United States. If you want to make a change, there are more effective ways than kneeling and then doing what exactly? Kneeling is only 50% of what the goal should be. Drawing awareness isn't going to solve anything. Point to instances of racism and we can defeat that together. Saying that there is racism doesn't help anyone, in fact, it hurts them.

I do believe that they have the right to kneel, whether it alines with what I think they should do.

Completly agree with krakowitz and jabroni here, and I'm not even an American. From the outsider in Canada looking in, these "acts" such as Kaepernicks, are most likely merely to draw attention to his name. Because as a non-football fan, I didn't know who he is. After his immature actions, I sure do know. Just because you're unhappy with certain things, doesn't give you the right to act as such.

People have gone through far worse. Jews in World War 2. Slaves in the 19th century. Native people who's populations were destroyed and slaughtered by the Europeans.

If Kaepernick cares so much about this issue, then why not go and spend some money out of the ton he makes, and post full page ads in major newspapers, expressing his unhappiness. That's a civil and professional move. Not some dumb, "I'm gonna disrespect my country because some things ain't fair". He has the money to do so. Clearly, it was the fame he was after.

Kaepernick spent his entire salary last year towards funding what he was combating, whether it really exists or not.

Those grievances he has are legitimate, but he isn't addressing the true issue. The issue is culture. Change the culture and "police brutality" will not happen as often the media makes it happen.

Of course they have the right to kneel. Given the first amendment, the Constitution says that they can. But if you want to see actual progress made, disrespecting the entire country as a whole won't work. Get your ass in the community and make change. Use your stature and image as a professional athlete for the better, not drawing negative attention towards yourself. We all want to see racism gone, but nobody wants to see this grab the headlines in the battle to end it.

Well to my utter shock, some people don't believe in the Constitution.

They also like to subsidize things that aren't in it and try to remove things that are. Why? Because it buys votes.

Chill.... dont stand up for your country, stand up for people in general.

It's not a matter of being effective. It's a matter of freedom of expression and speech.
It is a race based issue, and there is not the same racial diversity in the NHL, however, it could catch on from the players as they support their fellow colleagues in professional sport.

Nobody is disrespecting the country. They are making a statement for "disrespect" within the country i.e, Race issues. They don't disrespect the men and women in uniform. The NFL and players constantly are showing respect for the men and women who serve throughout the league! What is disgusting is the people that don't truly understand the issue.

Unfortunately, Colin Kaepernick's message has been lost over time, and even not conveyed very well when he first protested. Politicians, and entertainers masquerading as President skew his message and twist it for their own political gain. Kaepernick's was not criticizing the US military or it's soldiers but somehow, many believe if you criticize "the flag", you have contempt for military personnel and every other institution in the USA
One thing the USA military and government does very well confuse the mass public about the USA military. The media and government seem to justified any military intervention into foreign countries by always talking about the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers. The real issue when a country goes to war should be the issues or why one country invades another and kills civilians in that country, not the ever talking bout the bravery of the military personnel.

I do agree you have to do more than just kneel. You have to be active within the community on how to affect change. A professional athlete can always help this (and some do already) because of their notoriety. The players and respective teams should align their efforts as they see fit s there are "some are, some are not" issues on each team. That could be divisive.

I personally don't believe that. Some players have been directly affected (a family member or whatever) by racial profiling in certain communities in the U.S. I think he just used his right too protest what has been happening. You watch all the players and teams today making a statement. It's not just him.

And now, they are also protesting the idiotic buffoon of a president.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/02/black-privilege-students-get-sat-bonus-points-for-being-black-or-hispanic-asians-are-penalized/

This is racism. This needs to be combatted. You don't get to receive legal privilege based on race. It doesn't even take into account economic background.

These players should be able to peacefully protest play for the NFL or where they want without being told to leave the country or being fired. If you believe that this should happen to them, then you are no better than Donald Trump or any of those other delusional racists.

I'm not saying they should get fired. And I'm definitley not saying they don't have the right, heck ya they have the right. But I think there are better methods to get the message out than kneeling to the flag.

I'm not an American, so perhaps there's something I'm missing here. But it's this outsiders opinion

Excuse me? Nobody is telling them to leave the country, and nobody is denying their right to peacefully protest. But don't disrespect the country as a whole because of it. Kneeling for the anthem and not doing anything about it in the community is cowardly. If they don't like it in the country, nobody is forcing them to stay.

Youve gotta be so ignorant to think that they do nothing for their community. Like so **** ignorant. If you actually did some research and not just look at a picture, you would realize that Kaepernick does more community work then almost any other athlete in the NFL. And all of the people that kneel. Like calm down its not that big of a deal to kneel for the 'anthem'.

Sticking to OP, JT Brown and Big Buff have already expressed their support of the protest and could be the first in the NHL to join. Blake Wheeler also had some choice words on Twitter as well.

Your wording is a little confusing, but I think you have the right idea. Well said...

Wouldn't be surprised if it was Brown..

Is there any literature contradicting this?

Well said EthanK!!

They are NOT disrespecting the country. You have to get that out of your head. Sometimes the first step is to get attention to your cause, and then to gain support throughout the general population and then mobilize to affect change. It's a long slow process because of cowardly racists. They ARE doing something about it, they are getting your attention that there is an absolute racist problem (especially in the U.S. but not oblivious to Canada or white anglo-saxan/Caucasian based countries in general).

That last sentence is just a waste of self righteous words. These players, primarily, ARE American, This IS their country, they are just trying to make a positive change and NOONE should be suggesting that they leave!!