Philadelphia 76ers Poised for a National Anthem Protest

The Philadelphia 76ers might be thinking about taking part in the national anthem protests across the sports landscape.

Athletes and band members across the country from the middle school level to the pros are taking notice of the actions (or inaction) of Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick’s decision to remain seated (or kneeling) for the flag have become a point of contention from hard core nationalists and perhaps misguided patriots across the nation.

Media pundits are writing that, “Pockets of NBA players have increasingly started to speak up about what they believe to be racial and social injustices taking place in the United States.” This is partially incorrect for professional basketball players have been on the case for quite some time: The Los Angeles Clippers, the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, Amare Stoudemire, and Lebron James, most notably.

All of these teams and groups of players have combined to take a stand and deliver a message, even with some risk involved. Carmelo Anthony travelled back to Baltimore, where he was once named the Baltimore Catholic League Player of the Year, to speak on behalf of the Freddie Gray incident in a time period where politics, patriotism and sports collide.

In any event, the latest NFL protests that harken back to the Vietnam era have brought NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the Players Association director Michele Roberts to enter dialogue and reach an agreement.

Most refreshing throughout all of this has been the reassuring and insightful words of veteran Elton Brand. Keith Pompey reports:

"“There are e-mails and direct texts from the NBPA. We’re working with the NBA. They’re going to talk to us soon,” Brand said. “My thing is if you want to stand up for something, that’s a good thing. Especially in America, the tensions and the injustices that are going on right now.“Even in our locker room we’re discussing who feels like this, who feels like what and ways that we can display how we feel about things. I’m all for it. I stand behind it and stand with other athletes and people that want to stand for a cause. Whatever their cause is, they want to stand for a cause. Our cause may be different.”"

Brand even went on empathetically:

"“We have a lot of international players,” he said. “I’m looking around the room and there are seven people that aren’t from this country. So you talk about the flag, talk about the constitution and to them it’s like, ‘I represent America because I’m working here, but I’m pro-Spain and I have problems there, too.’ We’re all sorting it out. We’ve had discussions internally also. I’m looking forward to what the NBPA and the NBA have to offer.”"

With Brand as the measured and cool veteran, and a supportive Bryan Colangelo, who indicated that the franchise will support the view of the players, the Sixers are poised to join in the patriotic gesture that can actually construct a positive path toward an increased dialogue.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are a young idealistic team with a young idealistic coach. The passion and energy that is seen on the floor can translate into a lever for social change. And with Elton Brand as the open-minded veteran, it appears that the team is in very good hands in realizing their public relevance. This is similar to what Malcolm Jenkins provides for the Philadelphia Eagles.

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The great Howard Zinn once repeated, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”

Go Sixers.