"The biggest story involving the starting of the NFL season has not been about the games, or highlight reel catches. It hasn’t even happened on the field, but on the sidelines."
-Miles De Rosa
This preseason, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick took a knee for the national anthem, and the story immediately caught the nation’s eye. Kaepernick, who is yet to make an appearance in the NFL season on account of a hurt shoulder, told ESPN after beginning the protest that, “I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people or people of color.”
Soon afterward the question became “when will he stand?” and though the NFL has to be holding their breath until this controversy dies down, Kaepernick claims that he will not stand until “...[the] flag represents what it’s supposed to represent.” (According to ESPN).
The controversy grew as Kaepernick kneeled in San Diego on the Charger’s military appreciation night. After this, former teammate of Kaepernick’s, Alex Boone, who now plays for the Minnesota Vikings, said he thought it was “Shameful” and that he and Kaepernick “probably would have had a problem on the sideline,” Bleacher report.
Since that night many other players, athletes, or former athletes have weighed in on Kaepernick’s challenge. Long time NBA center, and now hall of famer, Shaquille O’Neal commented, “I don’t really have a say on it, but I would never do that.” The Columbus Blue Jackets head coach, John Tortorella put his opinion very simply:“If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game.” (According to ESPN).
However, before 2009 football players did not even appear on the field for the national anthem. CBS sports reports that the Department of Defense payed the NFL an excess of 4 million dollars to have players stand on the sideline to respect the flag. The Department of Defense also played fourteen NFL teams 5.4 million dollars for military appreciation nights honoring soldiers
But even with all of the negativity he has received, Kaepernick is getting an equal amount of support. Both Seattle Seahawks corner back Jeremy Lane, and Megan Rapinoe (depicted at left), a U.S. Olympian in women’s soccer sat during the National Anthem in support of Kaepernick. ESPN reported that Rapinoe went so far as to say she “[is] disgusted by the way he’s been treated…” Though she has not sat since.
Since Kaepernick, Lane, and Rapinoe got the ball rolling, there has been a flurry of activity, and discussion. Much of the controversy coming from the fact that Kaepernick’s next game would be held on 9/11. A few days before, Seattle Seahawks player Drew Baldwin said the team was going to do something, and whatever they did it would be as a team. Eventually they decided to link arms, to show unity and maintain respect for those who lost their lives in the horrible tragedy.
Many other NFL players have kneeled, sat on the bench, or raised a fist during the playing of the National Anthem, but the Seahawks (depicted at left) remain the only team to issue a full team protest.
Respect for police and military is something Kaepernick has stressed, fearing people will take his protest the wrong way. He claims his gesture means no disrespect to the military, as he has “great respect for the men and women who serve this country.” Rather, what Kaepernick is trying to speak out against is the widespread oppression against minorities in America.
Since Kaepernick Started his protest in early September, there have been at least 15 cases of Police killing African American men. Eleven of those 15 killings have been shooting. The case that has gotten the most coverage, occurred in Tulsa Oklahoma, where the police shot and killed Terence Crutcher, who at the time was unarmed, had not committed a crime, and posed no threat to the police.
With Kaepernick saying “he will not stand until there’s significant change,” it leaves us with one significant question: When will we see this ground breaking change? As anyone knows, change happens gradually, over long periods of time. We cannot anticipate when any change will occur.
Kaepernick’s call for change is a noble one indeed, but a difficult one. Not only because of the issue but because of the stage. He cannot send a message to the NFL, because it is not the NFL’s job to affect social change, and it is hard to access the government through sports. But one demographic you can access through sports, is the American people. He asks everyone, through their televisions and computers, “If you were here, if you were me, what would you do?”
It seems people have begun to respond. Not only are more athletes beginning to sit, but everyday people as well. While playing the national anthem at an A’s game, many members of the Oakland Unified District honors band kneeled while continuing to play their instruments. KTVU caught this on film.
Kaepernick has stirred a conversation in every sports fan’s mind about the social injustice in this country and what the flag truly means to them. With the wind at his back, and the support of fellow athletes, Kaepernick is charging through every T.V. radio, and football field in America, creating an essential conversation about race, equality, and what the flag is supposed to mean—and what it does.