San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines earlier this week after refusing to stand during the National Anthem in an effort to protest against racial injustice in America. The debate swept across the nation focusing on trivial things such as the quarterback’s salary and upbringing. Media outlets analyzed and debated his right to protest in such a manner, while other athletes and military servicemen and women jumped to his defense or openly condemned his actions.
Personally I initially found it hard to have a problem with Kaepernick’s actions. For starters, he was well within his rights to stand up for, or in this case sit down for, what he believes in. Just because I personally don’t support his position, doesn’t take away from his right to say it. The man has earned a platform to push his agenda any way he chooses and often he uses social media to do just that, but this time he chose to showcase his beliefs during an NFL preseason game.
While many have been criticizing Kaepernick more for the way he protested rather than protesting at all, this put on display an unsettling reality. When the quarterback claimed he would not stand for a flag that represents a nation that oppresses people of color, people responded by saying that was not want the flag represents. For me, the flag and national anthem are symbols of what unite us all as Americans. To me it means that our country may have its problems, but we will solve them together because we are all Americans. United we stand. Colin Kaepernick doesn’t see that, and who are we to tell him what he should see?
The former NFC champion was on the verge of achieving what he had sought out to, and that is spark action that could lead to real change for his cause. However, he took it one step too far on Thursday when he wore socks to practice depicting pigs in police uniforms. As far as I am concerned now, peaceful protest is over. Colin Kaepernick needs to learn that you can take action and support a cause without disrespecting others. Whether it’s police officers, veterans, or Americans in general, people deserve the basic respect of not being called names no matter what your views are.
Whether Kaepernick’s protest was warranted or not is now irrelevant, he has decimated the meaning of his actions by showing his true colors. His true colors are that he is not a revolutionary seeking racial justice for people of color in America. He is not channeling his inner Martin Luther King, exercising civil disobedience to bring social change. He is just another misguided cop-hater, and as long as he wears that hatred on his sleeve, or in this case his feet, there will be no change. Because change does not come when we divide ourselves, but when we stand united under one flag to solve our problems together.
