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  • 2016-08-31 (xsd:date)
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  • Is This a Picture of Congressmembers Sitting During the Pledge of Allegiance? (en)
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  • In August 2016, outrage swept across the internet over NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's refusal to stand during the playing of the U.S. national anthem. As commentators debated the merits of Kaepernick's protest against police violence and structural oppression, a photograph appeared purportedly showing members of the U.S. government seated during the Pledge of Allegiance in support of Kaepernick's stance: The photograph was taken on 23 June 2009 by Associated Press photographer Tim Roske, and it shows New York state senators sitting in protest during a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The New York state senate was controlled by Democrats by a 32-30 margin at the beginning of the summer that year, but Republicans managed to take control of the chamber on 8 June 2009 when they persuaded two Democrats to switch sides and thus reversed control of the senate. The remaining Democrats protested, and for more than a month the senate was at a standstill: So although the photograph is real, it captured an unusual interval of protest rather than something that occurs on a regular basis: (en)
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