German Soccer Team Takes A Knee To Support NFL – OpEd
By MINA
While majority Europeans have no clue what the NFL is, apparently someone in Germany receives American Cable channels. Here come the players of Hertha Berlin!
Hertha Berlin wanted to attract attention to itself by kneeling down before the start of their match, nodding to social struggles in the United States.
Hertha’s starting lineup linked arms and took a knee on the pitch, while Pal Dardai’s coaching staff, general manager Michael Preetz, club officials and substitutes took a knee before playing Schalke.
“Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore!” the club said on Twitter. It’s all about the hashtags, besides, nobody cares what Hertha Berlin stands for, you’re a sports team!
Forward Salomon Kalou also voiced his support on the social media network.
“We wanted to make a stand against racism,” Hertha captain Per Skjelbred said after the side’s 2-0 defeat.
The action was intended to show solidarity with NFL players who have been protesting police treatment of blacks and social injustice in the U.S. by kneeling, sitting or locking arms through the anthem before games.
“We’re no longer living in the 18th century but in the 21st century. There are some people, however, who are not that far ideologically yet,” Hertha defender Sebastian Langkamp told Sky TV at halftime. “If we can give some lessons there with that, then that’s good.”
Hertha Berlin may want to turn their focus on actually winning a match. Last time we checked FC Hertha Berlin were not social workers, instead a football club.
