Across America, hatred and disgust for Colin Kaepernick is growing because of his decision to kneel during the National Anthem in protest of racial oppression and inequality in the United States. This knee-jerk response of anger over his quiet protest is rooting in the belief that by kneeling, Kaepernick is showing disrespect to the military, whom many people view as being represented by the American flag. This same misplaced emotion is what causes outrage among white people when activists speak out against the actions of bad cops. It's also the reason the Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter movements were born and why the people who support those causes mistakenly believe that to be Pro-Black and/or support the Black Lives Matter Movement, you must necessarily be anti-Blue Lives and anti-All Lives.
But these sentiments are flawed in that they overlook the message of Black Lives Matter and Colin Kaepernick's protest. By kneeling during the National Anthem Colin Kaepernick aims to call attention to this reality that here in this country that we love and call home, all people are not equal. We are living in two Americas, the Black America and the White America, and the line between them is at times just as divisive as a physical wall, if not more so; oftentimes it is very difficult for those of us on the white side to see clearly what is going on in the other. All across this country African Americans and minorities are overlooked, repressed and often in danger on a daily basis. They face discrimination from all sides, are labeled 'thugs' on sight, and when their children are gunned down by police -- "well they must have resisted, or pulled a gun, or looked like a suspect" the public mumbles.
The treatment of African Americans and minority Americans is a far cry from equality, and will continue to be as long as white people, non-repressed minorities, and black people in influential positions keep silent. Yes, having the discussion about racism and its prevalence in our society can be tough. It can be uncomfortable and intimidating. But it is a vital step to ensuring the health of future America. What we need is a dialogue about the problems African Americans face in America and how these problems can be remedied; so why is this so threatening to these so vocally opposed people?
Kaepernick's protest is gaining momentum as other football players, as well as athletes in other sports, join him in taking a knee. But the real take away from all the talk of kneeling, standing, and disrespect or none, should be why they are kneeling, and how this protest is hitting home with Americans all across the country. It is intended to create a dialogue, to bring awareness to a difficult issue, to bring about a change, not to offend or disrespect. Kaepernick has expressed numerous times that he intends no disrespect to members of the military, and has in fact received a huge outpouring of support from former and active members of the military. After all, they are fighting for his and your right to free speech, free expression, liberty and justice.
Perhaps instead of railing against Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matter proponents, opponents of his protest should instead take the time to understand why Kaepernick is kneeling, and why the Black Lives Matter movement came into existence. Instead of clutching the flag to their chest and shouting outrage, they should empathize with the sadness and desire for change that these actions were born from. If they put as much thought and empathy into understanding the reason behind BLM and Kaep's protest as they do fighting it, perhaps this country could take a step in the right direction.
No one is perfect, and that includes America. She is only as good as the people and governments she is comprised of. And as in everything else, when flaws exist they should be recognized and steps are taken to fix them, government and authority not excluded. Healthy criticism is a necessity for growth. Why should our federal and local governments be exempt from accountability?
So please, the next time you see news about Black Lives Matter or Kaepernick kneeling, think of the why and about how you can help fix the problems so that we can all be proud of the country we live in and of the flag that flies for liberty and justice for all. We the people are America the beautiful and as such we should all be fully committed to equality for each of our fellow Americans. And if this means taking a very public stand to call attention to a broken system of racial oppression, then so be it.
