Colin Kaepernick has been getting a lot of heat recently about his actions on the field and making it a point to not stand for the US National anthem. This is because he wants his audience to know and be aware of the inequality that African Americans are facing in regards to police brutality. Now there have been a lot of issues regarding the actual means for his protest, bringing about a whole "do the ends justify the means" situation. The first issue being that football (american football) is very much a "USA!" sport, engrained in the tradition of the United States, where the NFL basically owns a day of the week, and has the largest viewing audience in Television history when the Super Bowl rolls around. Kaep, being the almost-forgotten star of the once flourishing San Francisco 49ers, has a lot to think about when deciding to sit, or more recently take a knee, for the National Anthem. Many think that he is wrong for not standing, since those who disagree claim disrespects both his country and those who defend it. But, in reality, his actions may not be the best, and neither are the claims his dissenters say. Soldiers and veterans don't necessarily fight soley for the freedom of all Americans. They do protect our country from harm, "evil-doers" and foreign enemies, by laying their lives on the line for our country, and because of their sacrifice, we can thankfully have the option of free speech. We are free to be offended and we are also free to offend. But when national attention is drawn to an "African American male" protesting "police brutality" and not to the Dakota Pipeline protest, or the hundreds of innocents being killed in Syria, or helping at risk youth in their communities, or other domestic issues, then a moral compass realignment is in need. Just to illustrate further, many media outlets report on sacking and theft when riots occur, and not the systemic racism or inequality in major cities which are the root cause of the problem.
Now, this doesn't mean Kaepernick is absolved of his actions. Sitting for the national anthem is about as effective as posting a "Like if you Love Jesus" image on facebook and only getting three likes. It really doesn't do much other than shed more light to an already important issue, and immediately draw away the spotlight and bring it to the number seven on the 49er offensive line. If Kaep wanted more than just attention, he would be organizing press conferences to illustrate his beliefs, meet with local leaders and ask what he can do to help, or even forfeit part of his paycheck to protest income inequality, or donate his belongings to families who have been affected by police brutality. Shouldn't his actions on and off the field reflect his true internal beliefs? Sure he can keep sitting, but in the end, protesting is an action that one should be willing to commit, and understand that the goal is greater than the individual. Truth be told, Kaep is doing good, but he isn't doing his best.
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In the end, the protest that Kaep is doing is part of a growing sentiment in the United States that is addressing police brutality, and is one of the many last straws that the Bay Area is having with not only police actions, but the shifting social tides with the invading Silicon Valley tech boom. The issue is deeply divided among different lines some completely for, some completely against, and many in between and indifferent. Of course, no protest is met with open arms, especially in such a conservative realm as American Sports, but in the meantime, once people sort through the rubble, it will become clear that this issue is big, but can be resolved with a clear agenda.
