I do not know of any country whose citizens kneel in unison during the anthem. Historically, mass kneeling has been closely associated with two types of terrible events : defeat and death. Defeated warriors and populaces have knelt en masse before their conquerors in hopes of mercy. Courtiers have knelt en masse at the deathbed of their kings and emperors.

Because of the negative connotations associated with kneeling, kneeling en masse should never be used in conjunction with the raising of America’s flag or the singing of America’s anthem. For a nation with such powerful representatives, kneeling en masse during the anthem would signify that something very bad has happened to the country.