Colin Kaepernick addresses the issues we avoid

Christopher Jones
Mesa Legend

Photo Chris JonesEven though the NFL season has just started the drama that always comes with it is already in mid-season form, but this time it isn’t drama that started on the field concerning football, but off the field concerning race, police, and the national anthem. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem once again ahead of his team’s opener in Santa Clara in week 1and then continues to do so in week 2 against the Carolina Panthers Teammate Eric Reid started to kneel with Kaepernick in solidarity with his protest against institutional racism on September 1. Since then at least 20 players on many different NFL teams have also done acts in support of Colin Kaepernick and his call for Criminal justice reform. Even the Garfield High School football team protested by kneeling during the national anthem.

When it started people were confronted with a set of two choices. You either support the national anthem by standing up to honor it, and by also honoring the military. Which then gives the notion that you are against Colin Kaepernick’s cause for protest and the argument that black people are being treated unfairly by other people based on color.  The second choice is that you support that notion that racism is still a factor in America, and that Colin Kaepernick is not only being patriotic but is fulfilling his responsibilities as an African American of influence that is acting out his right to protest Even after Kaepernick said “I have great respect for men and women that have fought for this country.”

People have still insisted his protest does not show respect for America that one should have.  That his protest is causing a divide in the country, the NFL, and according to Trent Dilfer on ESPN he reports that as a backup quarterback should be seen and not heard from.  Leading to his cause creating a divide in the 49ers’ locker room throughout the team even though you can clearly see his teammates patting him on the back, showing somewhat of a support for him during games. Is his protest patriotic? Is his protest creating a divide?
Is he right that African Americans continue to be discriminated against today?  I have an even more important question to ask?  Does any of that actually matter? No.

A large proportion of African Americans feel this way.  Enough to form a group that exclusively deals with the issue called Black Lives Matter. Enough to protest in cities across America.  Even enough to turn those protest into all out riots. We can fill a news cycle full of murders by the hands of cops. Who are we to not at least acknowledge the claims made? Instead of denying that racism exists, let’s pay attention and come together to make solutions.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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