We all have heard the story by now that Kaepernick refused to stand during the National Anthem before Friday’s preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. Kaepernick attempted to justify his actions with the following statement after the game:
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Kaepernick was born half-black, and given up for adoption. Raised by a white suburban family, Kaepernick was a straight-A student in high school, and earned a scholarship to the University of Nevada. The irony is Kaepernick was a better baseball player, but had a greater desire to play football at the collegiate level.
In his rookie season with the 49ers of 2013, Kaepernick came in after Alex Smith got hurt, and got the Niners to the NFC Championship Game. The next season with Kaepernick at the helm San Francisco was five yards away from potentially winning Super Bowl XLVII.
When Jim Brown, Muhammed Ali, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos put racial distension at the forefront of not only the sports page, but the front page, they were at the top of their profession.
All Colin Kaepernick has done since is lose his starting job to 2010 first-round bust Blaine Gabbert, after holding the Niners hostage in a contract dispute before last season. Yes, Colin Kaepernick, a former Super Bowl starting quarterback is now a backup to a guy with a career 8-27 win-loss record.
Kaepernick is getting plenty of publicity over his actions and the above statement. It is the lead of every Sportscenter, CBS Sports, or Fox Sports TV or radio broadcast. However, how seriously can you take the actions of a backup quarterback? Kaepernick’s story is not a feel good story like Devon and Leah Still, nor is it as tragic as the fall-from-grace of Johnny Manziel.
While we are on that subject, I have had my fill of one trying to speak for all. If you have vocal chords, you do not let someone speak on your behalf. Even a death row inmate has a voice.
I had both grandfathers served in the Navy, a cousin in the Air Force, and one of my closest friends in the Army. I have an uncle who was a police chief, and had rotating local police working security nightly at my first job every night for 10 years. I worked for the military as a civilian for 18 months, and my mother has been doing the same for the past eight years. Is it really the best idea to use your status to elevate the negative instead of accentuating the positive? Or at the very least brainstorming how to rectify the divide?
When Chris Jackson did the same act in 1996 after changing his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, he cited religious persecution and tyranny of Muslims. Abdul-Rauf worked out a compromise with the NBA where he would stand silently, close his eyes, and look down at the floor. At least Adbul-Rauf had the sense to realize while being a child of the nation of Islam, he was still a citizen of the United States.
Do you think the NHL, which has the smallest contingent of American-born players at just twenty-five percent, plays the National Anthems of the US, Canada, Russia, Finland and Sweden before every game? No...the only time “O Canada” is played is when one of their seven franchises who call that their national anthem are on the ice.
Kaepernick indicated he will continue to sit during the anthem, as “(he’s) going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed.” I love how charitable Kaepernick is being with his mouth, instead of the house payment short of $16 million he is owed of his $127 million dollar contract. Sorry Colin, but right now “Johnny Football” has more credibility than you do.
I do not take issue with what Kaepernick said, but like most disagree in the manner in which he chose to express it. After the contract issue, and basically stating he would not play under new head coach Chip Kelly (to which he later retracted), you would think Kaepernick did not want another media firestorm on his record. You do not bring change by keeping quiet and sitting down. You stand up, be counted (...FIRE!...Sorry, I couldn’t help it.), and shout your voice over everyone else’s.
It looks like there’s going to be plenty for Kaepernick to sit around and watch this season. I just hope Kaepernick is a cable news fan, because his highlights certainly won’t be making sportscasts very often.
-JC24