On August 14, 2017 Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, created a whirlwind of emotions by remaining seated during the national anthem. Some responded to this saying it it was disrespectful to the American flag; others praised him for combatting the inequalities that the black and brown community faces in regards to the words of the pledge of allegiance. Kaepernick began protesting the against the claim that there is “liberty and justice for all” in the United States when in reality, especially young black men, are plagued with the systematic racism embedded in the United States. These inequalities are strongly demonstrated through police brutality and racial profiling.
Football, being one of the most watched sports in America, was the most adequate venue for taking a stand against inequality and injustice against the black and brown communities. Kaepernick used not only the most readily available venue but also one where people of color’s voices are heard. Seventy percent of players in the NFL are people of color meaning Kaepernick is also empowering and working to gain justice for a population that includes fellow NFL players. Even LeBron James, one of the most well renowned athletes in the world, is standing with Kaepernick to bring these injustices to multiple platforms, such as the NBA, to demonstrate the systematic racism that plagues our country day in and day out.
One of the most common rebuttals to Kaepernick taking a seat during the national anthem was supposed disrespect to the United States military. Later in his protest, Kaepernick received an open letter from a veteran describing the feelings he experienced from Kaepernick’s actions. After receiving this letter, Kaepernick transitioned from sitting to kneeling during the anthem. His kneeling then and now signifies the respect for all those who have died in action while simultaneously remaining in protest against police brutality and systematic racism.
Even Michael Leroy, a professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has said “. . . Kaepernick nor some of the owners are the type to settle. They are putting principle above money,” which supports the notion that this is not about disrespecting the flag, the country, veterans, or anything to do with disrespect in general. This protest is not for publicizing Kaepernick or winning a lawsuit. Kaepernick’s protest is about giving people of color a voice in a light where they will not only heard but listened to. Many children of color look up to professional athletes as role models. For Kaepernick to use this more than appropriate venue emphasizes, especially to young people of color, that they can speak out and can combat inequality. From being broadcasted on national television, he has now reached to other platforms such as CNN, the NBA (though still broadcasted on ESPN, there is a different demographic), social media, and online news sources such as the New York Times and the Huffington Post. For Kaepernick national television via ESPN was the perfect venue to “believe in something. Even if it means losing everything.”