© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a song that to some means everything, and to others, means little. Given the chasmic differences in backgrounds in this country, whether religious, socioeconomic or otherwise, it’s impossible to expect that the national anthem has some universal meaning.
Since Colin Kaepernick kneeled for the anthem back in 2016, how players and teams treat the anthem has been the sorest of subjects, interpreted and much more often, misinterpreted. Much of the discourse around the anthem revolves around a perceived slighting of the military, or disrespect to the country at large by people who view the anthem as a paragon of American exceptionalism.
To others, especially Black players and players of color who have grown up in underserved communities, and those who have experienced police brutality firsthand… well, excuse them if they don’t exactly see the anthem as some sacred ballad.
A perfect example of where this country stands on the anthem is what just occurred in Dallas. The Mavericks stopped playing the national anthem before games from the outset of this season, a decision made by team owner Mark Cuban. That went on for 13 games, and… well, no one really seemed to notice.
According to multiple reports, Mark Cuban had no intention of playing it again. But on Wednesday, the NBA, either not aware of the Mavericks’ decision for those 13 prior games, or more likely, simply reacting to control negative PR, said all teams would have to play the anthem before games.
Source close to Mark Cuban says decision to not play Anthem before Mavs games isn’t because they don’t love U.S., but because many feel anthem doesn’t represent them, and they want to continue discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring U.S. at game.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2021
The league’s policy has been that teams must play the national anthem before games, but without fans in the stands, the league effectively allowed teams to do as they pleased. The Mavericks welcomed 1,500 vaccinated essential workers into their arena for free for the first time on Monday, with the league using the return of fans as a guise to resume the anthem.
“With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy,” the league said.
Cuban responded to the league, saying the team respects the anthem, but that, “We also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been.”
Statement from @mcuban regarding his Mavericks not playing the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/lnhoqQDgE6
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 10, 2021
Cuban’s statement did not address how the Mavericks would handle the national anthem going forward. As of now, it’s unclear how the team will proceed or what punishment there would be for not playing the anthem.
