Black Lives Matter Analysis

Colin Kaepernick feels that minorities are not being heard, so he used his higher status to draw attention to the racial inequality by not standing during the national anthem, instead he took a knee. The author of this article feels that the playing of the national anthem has brought politics into the NFL as opposed to Kaepernick as some people feel. However, this article also touches on the fact that his teammate at one point had also taken a knee in support of Kaepernick’s efforts. The way he chose to express his feelings has caused him to be viewed in a negative spotlight by many people all over the country. There are people even outside of the United States who have heard about this controversial situation Kaepernick has been going through.

The San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick has been at the center of attention for quite a while now. He is now known for his infamous kneeling or sitting during the National Anthem. He has received both positive and negative feedback regarding his actions. Some may view his actions as right and justifiable, but his actions show nothing but disrespect and a lack of patriotism.

For the past few years, racial tensions have been on the rise. Although many actions have been taken to prevent these conflicts from occurring, African Americans are still being undervalued by the state. As more African Americans are being turned away with little to no assistance from the American government, anger and the desire for change increased among them. When Trayvon Martin’s murderer George Zimmerman was acquitted for his crime, a great number of Americans were furious at the outcome. Three African American women named Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi expressed their view on a Facebook post titled “A Love Note to Black People” and it ends with “Our Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter” (“Black Lives Matter”). Thus, a new liberation movement for black people was born. The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter rapidly spread throughout social media, bringing awareness of the struggles of African Americans. The Black Lives Matter movement is a call to action to eradicate the dehumanization of African Americans that exists in American society. With the constant targeting of African Americans by the police and the unfair treatment in the criminal justice system, the Black Lives Matter movement is a necessity to combat racism.

Players in the NFL must hate America, or at least that’s what some would say when talking about the issue of what players do during the national anthem. Early last year in 2016 a NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kapernick, decided to take a stand by sitting on the bench during the national anthem. His reason was to bring awareness to police brutality, specifically with African Americans, in the United States. As you know, most people stand during the national anthem to show respect for the flag, our country, and the people who fight for it. In realization of what it meant to sit during the national anthem, Colin Kapernick decided to make a compromise by kneeling instead of sitting. His point on awareness to police brutality was clear by kneeling, but it also shows more respect to the women and men in the military, than sitting. Many players, not just African American players, have followed this movement. NFL players have the right to peacefully protest in this form and should not be penalized. This movement is a peaceful protest to bring awareness to police brutality, a practical way to grab the attention of people, and is a movement spreading further than the NFL.

Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has created much controversy in the nation over his latest protest. During a preseason football game Kaepernick was photographed sitting during the national anthem (McKirdy). When asked about the action later, Kaepernick explained, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” (Wyche). The nation exploded. Many showed their support for the quarterback, expressing pride in him for “standing up” for the things he believes in. Others displayed their anger with him for disrespecting the flag and all the things the flag represents. After seeing what a backlash his action received, Kaepernick decided to kneel instead of sitting, claiming that his new way of protesting would show more respect for those in the line of duty (Anthem uproar). Although he has the right to protest, sitting during the national anthem is the wrong way to draw attention to a specific cause.

A football player with the NFL, named Colin Kaepernick decided to stop standing for the national anthem as of means of protesting that the fact unarmed African Americans are killed by police in disproportionate number, usually without any repercussions for the officers who engaged in the killings. The fact that Colin Kaepernick protest is being a sign of disrespect, even though kneeling has long been considered a sign of respect, it has much more to do what he is protesting than how he is protesting.

In addition, recently a National Football League player took a knee during the national anthem at a game to alert people of the unjust treatment police officers apprehend on African Americans. In "The Whitewashing Of #TakingAKnee," Prescod-Weinstein wrote: "Rather than celebrate America, Colin Kaepernick sat down and demanded that people watching pay attention to police brutality and more broadly the anti-blackness which is fundamental to the fabric of America." ( Weinstein, 2). This demonstrates a NFL player exercising his right to speak out on police brutality toward African Americans in the United

The current debate over kneeling or sitting in protest during the national anthem to protest police brutality was ignited by Kaepernick in 2016, and later adopted by many other professional football players, high school athletes, and professional athletes in other sports, all who have refused to stand for the national anthem. These protests have created disagreement and sparked a public conversation race, police brutality, the flag and if the NFL is the best forum for to protest such issue. Colin Kaepernick has since said “he’s not protesting the flag but police brutality against African Americans. www.Procon.org

It has led to division in our nation and has not helped improve the situation of those individuals whom they are protesting for. Clearly, there are more effective things these athletes could have done to make a difference. In order to understand why and how Kaepernick's actions have been very counterproductive we must consider what he stated and what was the response to it. “"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "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 stated this in response to the controversial shootings of African American individuals by police men. There has been an extraordinary debate about the social and racial issues in America but Colin Kaepernick-NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers-started a very controversial debate with a simple act sitting or kneeling during the National

Colin Kaepernick said his decision was aimed at using his protest action to express the current inequality practices in the U.S that were mainly affecting the minorities. The National Football League Insider Ian Rappaport said that players were only encouraged to stand up during the National Anthem and that it was not a compulsory requirement. Colin Kaepernick is not the first player to address political issues as NBA players such as Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade used such as a platform to express their worry of the current political systems . However, such actions signify an incredible disrespect to the country and refusal to acknowledge the flag which symbolizes national unity in all areas of life including addressing national issues. Colin Kaepernick insisted that he did what he did not in the search for approval or to gain attention but to represent people that are underrepresented and oppressed by the same law that is supposed to protect

For many, speaking up for what you believe in can be difficult and risky, but ultimately worth the risk. Colin Kaepernick took this risk, by kneeling during the national anthem to stand up against “ police brutality and the inequality that people of color”(NFL). With many unjust shootings and police beatings of African Americans, Kaepernick’s teammate Eric Reid couldn’t stand the violence anymore after “the killing of Alton Sterling in my hometown Baton Rouge, La”(Reid). Reid joined Kaepernick in taking a knee during the national anthem, in doing this Kaepernick and Reid inspired other players to raise awareness and help those in need. This decision caused huge impacts on the nation, the NFL, and the youth who look up to the players of the NFL.

Many believe that Kaepernick sat during the National Anthem because he was standing up for all of the african americans who have been injured, killed, or disrespected my the police in any way. “ The racial profiling has to stop,” says Wade, a Chicago native whose cousin Nykea Aldridge was killed by a stray bullet there in August (41). As a result of this incident and many others Kaepernick felt like he had to sit and protest for all of the fallen and sorrows. It is understandable why Kaepernick is sitting for these people, he’s tired of the violence and profiling. Though it is a valid point of Kaepernick to sit and protest, to me it is still disrespectful towards the flag and national anthem. He can protest in many ways not just by sitting,

The Black Lives Matter Movement created a police reform on the policy agenda and has

So as he took it upon himself to make a difference and bring attention to the issue by kneeing during the national anthem which has sparked huge controversy throughout the National Football League. We cannot choose when racism affects us, and it is cruel to insist on choosing when discussions of racism affect you. You can be a professional football player, an accountant, a politician, a teacher – if you are black, you cannot escape the harmful and even deadly effects of racism in America. Colin Kaepernick is black every minute of every day of his life, and his money and his fame will not remove that blackness. Nor will they keep him safe when he’s out of uniform.(Oluo). The decision of Kaepernick to take a stand by taking a knee while he is in such a prominent position by being the quarterback of the 49ers. I feel that he is deciding to bring the topic of oppression to the forefront when nobody wants to talk about but he is forcing people to anyways. “I’m comfortable with everything that I’m saying, what I represent and who I am,” he said of his growth into an outspoken

The Black Lives Matter movement brought the attention that discrimination is still existing today. With people like President Obama speaking on this issue, it is easy to see that even the most powerful people have been a victim of discrimination. In 2013, Trayvon Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman for being an African American boy who just looked a little too suspicious while walking home. President Obama released a statement on the matter in the Rose Garden saying, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.” (“From Trayvon Martin to black Lives Matter”) Discrimination has always been something African Americans faced, but hearing this from the President of the united states not only awakened the African Americans’ but It sparked a movement in the nation. The hashtag “#blacklivesmatter” shortly became a trend worldwide after the Zimmerman and Trayvon case. Obama went onto say that, “There are very few African American men in this country who haven’t had the