Despite making national news headlines, Colin Kaepernick’s protest started out inconspicuously. In fact, it wasn’t until a third San Francisco 49ers preseason game and two demonstrations before the public finally caught wind of what the San Francisco Chronicle recently called “The wrong place for a noble cause.”
Shortly following the release of a team photo with Kaepernick pictured sitting down as the national anthem played, Americans were both outraged and thrilled. Since then, his controversial protest gained an even larger following and has audiences everywhere wondering what it means for the future of both sports and politics in the United States.
Kaepernick’s act of sitting appears to be a paradox. In his own words, it is a “visible form of standing in solidarity with minorities experiencing institutionalized oppression”. When asked for the reasoning behind his unique method of dissent, Kaepernick explained that “When there’s significant change and I feel that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.” Specifically, he referenced police brutality and the unjust treatment of veterans as an instance of America failing to hold “their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody.” Soon, people indicted his status as a successful, wealthy individual and questioned whether he was fit to speak on such experiences. Kaepernick’s campaign for equality persisted regardless.
Unsurprisingly, many notable athletes share Kaepernick’s sentiment. After meeting with former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer, Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid decided to kneel together during the anthem in order to show more respect without entirely scrapping the act. Fellow league players from the Seahawks, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Patriots also joined Kaepernick in protest by again silently refusing to stand for the anthem – an especially bold move on the September 11th game day.
Equally as many individuals, as well as prominent organizations and corporations, disapproved of the movement. USA Today explains that Kaepernick has received death threats for his contentious form of protest. Even Century Link and a local Colorado credit union ended sponsorship agreements with Denver Bronco’s linebacker Brandon Marshall (and former collegiate teammate of Kaepernick’s) after he, too, chose to kneel prior to a September 9th game. Like Kaepernick, Marshall expressed his stance against “social injustice” by defending the use of high-profile platforms like his own to reach the masses. Century Link’s statement had a more troubling tone, saying that “…we occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to a common bond as a nation.” Their remark is especially disturbing to marginalized populations that may not have access to the “common bond” that ties more privileged groups together. For the disenfranchised, patriotism not only fails as a solution to social issues plaguing their everyday lives, but also masks their struggle by pushing it to the side in favor of national pride.
We can’t predict with certainty if Kaepernick’s movement will continue to progress, fade away, or culminate in widespread change. Analysts at Forbes now say the “unrest” is over, Slate Magazine is sure his demonstrations are “working,” and CNN is somewhere in between. A few critics even argue that it never got off the ground, with Kaepernick’s allegedly flawed method of protest overwhelming his message. The awareness and important conversations he sparked, however, are undeniable. His gesture resulted in one of the largest discussions about discrimination and inequity that America has seen in months. Is there anything more patriotic than a national dialogue about social justice? As Dolphins running back Arian Foster tweeted shortly after a game, “don’t let the love for a symbol overrule the love for your fellow human.”
http://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Kaepernick-anthem-protest-Wron…
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/9/11/12869726/colin-kaepernick-national-ant…