Professor Snyder
EN 101
November 17, 2016
Taking a Stand by Sitting Down Colin Kaepernick, the backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, shook up the sports world in August by kneeling during the National Anthem of a pre-season football game. He was booed by his fans and has recently been named the least popular player in the National Football League. After the game, when he was asked about his actions, he said that he refuses to stand and salute the flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color. This sparked a huge debate across the NFL and even spilled over into other sports. Racism is existent in America and people are forced to deal with it every day and though many disagree, Colin Kaepernick’s actions …show more content…
He thought about doing something earlier but believed that he needed to be more informed on the issue so he consulted respected friends and family members before deciding to sit down and take a stand. Many people disagree with his actions and say that sitting down during the national anthem is disrespectful, especially to those who fight for our freedom on a daily basis. In reality, racism, especially police brutality, is not only a big problem, but a growing problem in America. Colin Kaepernick didn’t kneel during the National Anthem to show disrespect to anyone, he simply used his celebrity platform to get people talking about this major issue in the best way he saw fit.
In 2011, just over a quarter of people believed that racism was a big problem in America. Five years later, about forty-nine percent of people believe racism is a major concern (Terry). This shows that not only is racism a problem, but that it has been growing in recent years. Many black people in America aren’t given the same opportunities as their white counterparts. They are oppressed into the ghettos of our large cities, given less access to jobs and quality housing, while the kids are sent to under-resourced schools. This type of horrible discrimination is exactly what Colin Kaepernick has taken a stand …show more content…
Every day there are instances of racism in this country and not nearly enough people see it as an issue, but something needs to be done. Colin Kaepernick used his platform in the National Football league to get a message across even though he knew he would receive backlash and criticism. We need more people like him fighting for our freedoms, not only across the world, but in our country as well. America has reared its ugly head and shown that we live in a country full of racism and discrimination. The National Anthem protests are simply a call to action in an attempt to turn America into the land of the free for each and every citizen, regardless of the color of their