(UnitedVoice.com) – It looks like athletes showing disrespect for the national anthem is, unfortunately, becoming a tradition. NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first to outrage patriotic Americans when he started kneeling during the anthem in 2016. Now Lakers star LeBron James has jumped on the bandwagon.
On December 10, Bronny James, the elder son of LeBron James, played his first game with the USC Trojans. The 19-year-old started training with his college team this summer but suffered an on-court cardiac arrest in July. It turns out he has a congenital heart defect, but that didn’t stop him from returning to training, and now he’s played his first game for the team, scoring four points against the Long Beach State 49ers. Unfortunately for him, his performance was overshadowed by his father’s pre-match behavior, which many are calling disrespectful.
As the national anthem played before Sunday’s match, LeBron was seen walking into the Galen Center and finding his courtside seat. It would have been normal for him to stand until the anthem had finished — but instead, he just sat down. His actions haven’t gone down too well with fans.
One angry fan commented on X (formerly Twitter) that LeBron’s behavior was “complete DISRESPECT” and added, “This country gave him EVERYTHING.” Another derisively asked if “King James” was above showing respect for the country’s symbols. Others called him a disgrace or said they didn’t expect anything else from him.
James has a reputation for political activism and has been supporting left-wing causes for years. He’s sparked controversy before, for example in 2019 when he seemed to support China’s communist regime over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. However, while he supported Kaepernick’s knee-taking antics, he hasn’t openly shown disrespect for the US himself before. If that’s changing, he could find himself alienating a lot of fans who’ve stayed loyal up to now.
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