For those of you who have been under a slight rock these past few weeks, Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers NFL team, has been refusing to stand during the National Anthem as it plays before each game. And because of this, you have my support, Kaepernick.
Kaepernick sat down on the bleachers for the first time and no one truly understood why until he was interviewed later. Kaepernick says that he was taking a seat to express his concerns with the issues that are going on in America right now concerning racial minorities. He sat down for something he believed was an issue. He sat down to make a stand in something he believed in, and honestly, I support this man for that.
When most originally heard the story, they were outraged. This was something that no one could believe was going on and something that most saw was disrespectful and “in no way a professional athlete should behave.” With that being said, let’s just think about what this man did. He sat down. He wasn’t out in the streets causing violent protests. He wasn’t out threatening law enforcement for what has been going on with the actions that some awful police officers have been accused of. The man sat down. And for a good reason at that.
Taking a look at history, we can see that professional athletes are held to a higher standard than most. They are expected to treat people with respect, give back when they can, and honestly, just be the best that anyone can be. Looking deeper into history, we can see the consequences that professional athletes have been given for breaking laws and acting, as they shouldn’t. Kaepernick hasn’t done anything wrong but stand, or sit, for what he believes in.
Most people are whining that he is not showing respect for the country and all of the veterans that have served and given their lives for this country. Maybe they are right. But also, maybe people should start worrying about themselves. If you are so outraged at this man’s actions, maybe you should pause and look at your own first. When was the last time that you served a veteran a hot meal because they couldn’t afford one? When was the last time that you donated your time and money into helping and support the veterans who supported this country? Think about this, how many times- how many times have you seen a man standing for the National Anthem and not take off his hat? How many times have you heard the National Anthem play and you decided to talk to the person beside you, answer and text, or just not really pay attention to what is going on? The only real difference here is that Kaepernick is doing it to make a point while you were just being disrespectful. So what if this man is sitting down to show support for “Black Lives Matter?” At least he is doing it in a way where no one is getting hurt. At least he is doing it in a respectful way and not out causing havoc in the streets.
I personally understand where people are coming from if they are upset about this. We all have our opinions. We all express them differently. Some act on theirs and others sit on theirs. But, if you ask me, Kaepernick is not in the wrong. He is doing what he believes is right and what will make an impact. Obviously, it has with other players, even other professional teams, mirroring his actions, sitting and kneeling not only for the same reasons as Kaepernick, but others as well.
With all of that being said, Kaepernick, you have my support. You’re sitting for the right reasons and are acting on what you believe should be brought to the attention of the public. You’re doing it in a way that isn’t harming others, and I believe that is just icing on the cake.
