In 2016, San Fransisco 49's quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, caught national attention when he took a knee during the national anthem. A slew of articles, interviews, and opinions then arose, some in favor of what he stood for and some completely against it. He was protesting the racial injustice and police brutality still present in the United States, decades after the Civil Rights Movement "ended." This protest started after numerous reports of police brutality and the murdering of innocent black people, particularly by the police force that was supposed to be protecting them. "Another murder in the streets because of the color of a man's skin, at the hands of the people who they say will protect us," Kepernick told interviewers. Looking deeper into Kaepernick, he wasn't the stereotypical jock of a football player. He graduated from a good college, was drafted into the NFL, and then picked up classes at UC Berkeley, working towards a doctorate in African Diaspora Studies. One of his professors even compared him to Ella Baker in his abilities to become a passionate leader. On the other hand, Donald Trump called those players who refuse to stand during the anthem "sons of bitches," going on to say they should be fired from their teams [1]. Amid the articles and tension in this issue within the NFL, several articles then appeared in which they resurfaced a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr, taking a knee in 1965. In this picture, King was actually leading a prayer for a group of people that had just been arrested for parading in the city of Alabama without a permit. Over 50 years later and the call to raise awareness to racial injustice is more necessary than ever. When MLK wrote his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" in 1963, he calls upon his disappointment with the white moderate, saying that the biggest problem towards gaining equality is "not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice" [2]. He compares their need and struggle for the "absence of tension" instead of the "presence of justice" [3]. Comparing that to the issue with the National Anthem, most arguments against the kneeling follow the traditional view of the flag representing the respect given to the people who have fought to create and maintain this country. Seeing people kneel disrupts that peace and tradition, so responders only think negatively and in terms of keeping the order as opposed to seeking justice. At the end of the day, fans don't want politics being brought into an atmosphere like professional football, opting to take another beer instead of taking a stand. If MLK were alive today, would he be kneeling beside Collin Kaepernick and fellow NFL players that choose to disrupt the peace in search for a greater peace and equality? Are most of these spectators too guilty of playing the role of the "white moderate" in these issues?
[1] Patrick Jennings. "Colin Kaepernick: From one man kneeling to a movement dividing a country." BBC Sport. 11 October 2017.
[2] Martin Luther King, Jr. "A Letter from a Birmingham Jail," In I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World. 1992.
[3] Ibid
MLK in context - an exploration of King's life and work from an historical perspective
I agree that MLK would be taking a kneel next to Collin Kaepernick. In football and other sports taking a knee is a sign of respect to a player that has been injured. If you grew up playing contract sports most children would know that, like how you stand for the national anthem. Our fellow citizen has been injured and Kaepernick was going out of his way to honor him during one of the most honorable time during football games. I think the problem of Kapernick taking a knee arose was from the suspicion that outsiders had on his act and did not know what he was doing. If everyone knew at the time why Kaepernick was taking a knee I'm pretty sure most of the stadium would have also taken a knee. From quick research I have done there is no law that says you must stadn when the anthem is playing. In conclusion, I think Kaepernick act was a powerful because another citizen has fallen because of our country and he is honoring him, while also honoring our country. If Kaepernick wanted to be disrespectful he would have not stood at all, or looked away from the flag.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of kneeling for the anthem has garnered more uproar in mainstream American media than almost any civil rights injustice in the 21st century. People who never cared about victims of police brutality, unequal economic opportunities for people of color, Confederate statues, or any other instances of systematic racism in the country suddenly went up in arms over NFL players kneeling during the anthem. And that's exactly why it was such a genius idea. The point of kneeling during the anthem isn't to disrespect the flag or be un-American - it's to raise awareness for these issues that the people who care so much about the anthem have never cared about. In fact, Kaepernick decided to protest by kneeling after discussing the subject with a veteran who encouraged him, instead of sitting for the anthem, to kneel as a sign of respect. The issue of kneeling for the anthem is not even that; it's a non-issue. The real problem is what inspired black athletes across the country to protest the national anthem, and to ignore that or dismiss this fact in favor of attacking "millionaire athletes who are disrespecting the country that gave them so much" is not only ignorant and insensitive, but racist.
ReplyDeleteI think that King would kneel alongside Kaepernick and support him in his peaceful protest of police brutality that is still all too prevalent in our society. I am from Cleveland, Ohio where Tamir Rice, a 12 year old, was killed by police while playing with a toy gun in a park. There were many protests held throughout Cleveland after the murder of Tamir, and I think that Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the anthem became a hot topic of conversation two years later as our city was still rocked by Tamir's death and other stories of police brutality. In his "I Have a Dream" speech King emphasizes that African Americans would not stop protesting until there was an end to police brutality and therefore would fully support Kaepernick's protest. Additionally, I believe that King would respect someone with cultural significance and power using their role to create change and start a conversation. Just as King looked to preachers to aid the Civil Rights Movement, as they were leaders of their communities, I think that King would respect professional athletes using their platform to peacefully draw attention to the problems that our country continues to face.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article. It is so vital to understand the difference between the so called, ‘disrespect of the flag,” and fighting for civil rights. I want to start off by answering your question. Yes, I believe that King would have taken a knee with Kaepernick. This kneeling is the least violent way of making a statement. This statement is quite beautiful. What these “sons of bitches” are doing by kneeling, is taking the very bodies that are so abused and slandered by White America, and using them as non-violent weapons. The Black body is treasure and should be treasured. By kneeling, these players are proving to White supremacy, that they cannot represent with a true heart, a country that hates them. America is murdering Black youth, and celebrating. I have the utmost respect for Colin Kaepernick, because he uses his platform to speak on ideas that too many White government officials would never dare say. He gives Black people a voice in a country where they are literally silenced by death. Donald Trump is the prime example of White supremacy in too much power. His Whiteness clouds his ability to understand a perspective that is not White or rich. He prides himself on calling athletes who have made football a career in order to pay their family’s bills, “sons of bitches.” His sheer ignorance is a constant reminder that Black people are represented no where in America.
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