By Joe Farmer, Staff Writer
Is Colin Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem disrespectful? No, I think he has every right to refuse to stand for a flag that, as he says, represents “a country that oppresses black people and people of color”. In my opinion, his comment is valid. If someone lived in a country that oppresses white people, I don’t think any white person in their right mind would stand for that country’s national anthem. Kaepernick has the freedom to protest, which is his First Amendment right, yet some people believe he’s protesting the wrong way. But what is the right way to address a situation like racial oppression?
I believe people are overreacting to Kaepernick’s protest. Put yourself in the shoes of a black man, many of which voices’ go unheard, who wants to stand up for what he believes in. People are burning Kaepernick jerseys because he is protesting the injustices in this country, but why didn’t people burn one of the forty-four jerseys worn by NFL players who have been accused of rape? I feel like it is ridiculous that people will burn jerseys of a player that won’t stand during the national anthem, but they don’t burn the jerseys of a player accused of rape.
Kaepernick is exercising his First Amendment right and he’s doing so in a non-violent way. Now he is receiving death threats for exercising his rights, which I think is absurd. I’m not saying I necessarily understand the nuances of the protest, since I’m a white male born in the United States, but I understand why he’s doing it and I believe he has a good reason. Like I said before, put yourself in his shoes. The way he’s protesting might not be the most effective - obviously with all the controversy it has started - but at least it is nonviolent. People often bring up that he was adopted by two white people and that he is just acting to make himself look good, but even if you are raised all your life with two white parents that doesn’t change the fact that racial oppression has existed in this country for centuries and many believe it continues to exist to this day. Kaepernick is a man of color and he has every right to stand (or sit) for what he believes in because that’s what U.S. soldiers fight for everyday.
I believe people are overreacting to Kaepernick’s protest. Put yourself in the shoes of a black man, many of which voices’ go unheard, who wants to stand up for what he believes in. People are burning Kaepernick jerseys because he is protesting the injustices in this country, but why didn’t people burn one of the forty-four jerseys worn by NFL players who have been accused of rape? I feel like it is ridiculous that people will burn jerseys of a player that won’t stand during the national anthem, but they don’t burn the jerseys of a player accused of rape.
Kaepernick is exercising his First Amendment right and he’s doing so in a non-violent way. Now he is receiving death threats for exercising his rights, which I think is absurd. I’m not saying I necessarily understand the nuances of the protest, since I’m a white male born in the United States, but I understand why he’s doing it and I believe he has a good reason. Like I said before, put yourself in his shoes. The way he’s protesting might not be the most effective - obviously with all the controversy it has started - but at least it is nonviolent. People often bring up that he was adopted by two white people and that he is just acting to make himself look good, but even if you are raised all your life with two white parents that doesn’t change the fact that racial oppression has existed in this country for centuries and many believe it continues to exist to this day. Kaepernick is a man of color and he has every right to stand (or sit) for what he believes in because that’s what U.S. soldiers fight for everyday.