Kansas City Chiefs: Marcus Peters Takes A Stand

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters has made some headlines by his protests during the National Anthem.  Peters’ currently is the lone athlete protesting in Kansas City.

Geographically, the Kansas City Chiefs are located right in the middle of the current debate regarding police use of force and race relations in America.  However, in the world of professional sports, the team has been largely isolated from the national discussion.  That is, except for Chiefs star cornerback Marcus Peters.

During the first two games of the season, Marcus Peters has been making his stance known on the situation.  Against the San Diego Chargers, the Chiefs stood on the sideline with arms linked to show solidarity.  At the end of the line, Marcus Peters stood with his left had raised in a fist.  The stance was similar to the protests of 1968 Olympians, Tommie Smith and John Carlos.  Peters would also protest during the game against the Houston Texans by not stopping at all for the anthem.

As expected, the stance that Marcus Peters has taken has not gone over well with many people.  For many others, it has been inspirational.  The question of right and wrong is still heatedly debated.  Is Peters stance the right one?  Is he demonstrating it the right way?  Does he have ground to stand on?

The answer to those questions is complex.  There is no answer that I could give right now that wouldn’t be considered wrong by a high percentage of readers.  What is my opinion on it?  Surprisingly, I find that to be even more complex.  What I do know is that this is not a matter to take lightly.  It deserves to be looked at in its entirety.