There is excitement and anxiety in the air as the American football season begins and brings with it a new controversy. Last football season, Colin Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, knelt during the national anthem at an exhibition game in protest of police brutality. In an interview after the game, Kaepernick stated, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." A project by The Guardian stated that the police killed at least 258 black people in 2016 alone. Kaepernick protested at a tense time in our nation and his gesture has seemingly tarnished his football career, despite the NFL claiming that players are not required to stand during the national anthem.

As a free agent opting out of his contract with the 49ers on March 3rd, 2017, Kaepernick has not been signed by any NFL team since. With the football season approaching, supporters of Kaepernick have demanded that he is signed by next month, which is the start of the season. Athletes, like Kaepernick, show us how, in the United States, free speech is permitted yet can be used against its citizens. This is nothing new for American athletes, and as fans, we need to support their rights.

The year of 2016 was an intense political year not only due to the presidential campaign races but also because it seemed like there was always a new story about a black person being shot by the police. Subsequently, Kaepernick protested against police brutality, which also encouraged and inspired other athletes, such as Brandon Marshall of the Denver Broncos and Jeremy Lane of the Seattle Seahawks, to stand in solidarity with him. Athletes have used their large fan bases and platforms to help others in whatever form that they choose to.

Kaepernick has stated, "I love America. I love people. That’s why I’m doing this. I want to help make America better. I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from." Athletes should not be punished by using their influence to usher change. However, this is not the first time in history that athletes have taken part in a political protest and like Kaepernick, their careers suffered because of their actions.

Many athletes, especially black athletes, find that exercising their free speech rights comes at a cost, and they have to be willing to pay that price to convey their message. In 1967, Muhammed Ali notably refused to fight in the Vietnam War due to his Muslim faith and added, "I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong." He claimed that black people were treated as second class citizens in the United States, and he then refused to be drafted. Consequently, Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title. Other athletes including a football player, Jim Brown, and basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbur, supported Ali and stood in solidarity with him.

At the 1968 Summer Olympics, John Carlos and Tommie Smith held up their black- gloved fists, a salute to the Black Panther Party, while the National Anthem was played at their medal ceremony. Carlos and Smith created an organization to try to encourage other black athletes to boycott the Olympic Games. The former remarked that "Even if you won the medal, it ain’t going to save your momma. It ain’t going to save your sister or your children. It might give you 15 minutes of fame, but what about the rest of your life?” As a result, they were forced to return their medals and received backlash from the media, who compared them to Nazis. These athletes observed a problem in their country and decided to use their platform to make a difference. They also exposed a problem within the professional athlete organization and how their political actions have consequences.

We praise athletes when they win games or show resilience and strength on the field; however, it seems as though that is the only thing they are supposed to do. When they speak up for what they believe in, we punish them. Although Kaepernick is not being deliberately punished like Ali, Carlos, and Smith, it is clear that he is being blacklisted by the NFL. Athletes have committed real crimes in the past and free speech is definitely not a crime. We should be proud that our athletes are doing more than playing games and going home by actively trying to make a difference in their country. In already tense times, we need leaders, like Kaepernick, who demonstrate to us to not to be afraid to stand up for what we believe in.