In a year filled with one shocking and dominating media story after the other; from Donald Trump's’ election and the Russia Scandal to #MeToo, one narrative has become a surprising fixture in American popular culture and media: Colin Kaepernick's protest of police brutality during the National Anthem. Although it has been almost 18 months since the former college standout quarterback and GQ magazines 2017 Citizen of the Year, took his last snap in the National Football League, his iconic protest has taken on a life of its own. The kneeling has evolved from symbolic action to a prominent aspect of African Americans’ modern struggle for equality by starting a national dialogue that is still ongoing. This prominence has also made Kaepernick a
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A structural functionalist approach to answering this question would begin first with the recognition that all aspects of the larger cultural system are connected (LumenLearing). Therefore, the NFL is not simply a sports league, but rather an extension and driving force of dominant American culture. Tens of millions of Americans watch each week and even more view clips or articles on the internet. Fantasy football is itself a multi-billion industry with television programs, articles and podcasts reaching a widely dispersed audience every day. I say this to highlight the fact the football is more than football, it is what Marx described as a force for “cultural production.” This means that the athletes who participate, do so from a platform ––– an elevated position in society. They have cultural capital in addition to their material wealth. So when Colin Kaepernick decides to kneel, for example, people pay …show more content…
A protest that began as a statement attempting to highlight the excessive use of force by police on African American youth has morphed into a larger conversation about systemic inequality, racial justice and societal dysfunction. The remnants of historical racism continues to impact the lives of many across the United States but many forms of racism such as political disenfranchisement and gentrification are ongoing. Conflict theory provides another lens for analyzing both Kaepernick’s protest and the responses it has engendered. It suggests that many issues in society emerge from fundamental flaws in the way power is structured in society. The unnecessary deaths of African American youths at the hands of police for example, has roots in the historical racism and systemic inequality described above and also demonstrates modern racial profiling, prejudice and social stigma. The perception that men of color are violent and dangerous is still prominent today, and this perception becomes part of social and legal policy. Because police departments continue to be staffed mainly by white men, the racial undertones of the situation are simply unavoidable as the victims of police brutality are overwhelmingly people of color
A structural functionalist approach to answering this question would begin first with the recognition that all aspects of the larger cultural system are connected (LumenLearing). Therefore, the NFL is not simply a sports league, but rather an extension and driving force of dominant American culture. Tens of millions of Americans watch each week and even more view clips or articles on the internet. Fantasy football is itself a multi-billion industry with television programs, articles and podcasts reaching a widely dispersed audience every day. I say this to highlight the fact the football is more than football, it is what Marx described as a force for “cultural production.” This means that the athletes who participate, do so from a platform ––– an elevated position in society. They have cultural capital in addition to their material wealth. So when Colin Kaepernick decides to kneel, for example, people pay …show more content…
A protest that began as a statement attempting to highlight the excessive use of force by police on African American youth has morphed into a larger conversation about systemic inequality, racial justice and societal dysfunction. The remnants of historical racism continues to impact the lives of many across the United States but many forms of racism such as political disenfranchisement and gentrification are ongoing. Conflict theory provides another lens for analyzing both Kaepernick’s protest and the responses it has engendered. It suggests that many issues in society emerge from fundamental flaws in the way power is structured in society. The unnecessary deaths of African American youths at the hands of police for example, has roots in the historical racism and systemic inequality described above and also demonstrates modern racial profiling, prejudice and social stigma. The perception that men of color are violent and dangerous is still prominent today, and this perception becomes part of social and legal policy. Because police departments continue to be staffed mainly by white men, the racial undertones of the situation are simply unavoidable as the victims of police brutality are overwhelmingly people of color