By Calder Stenn, Content Editor
Let’s step back for a moment and look at Colin Kaepernick as a normal American citizen. Forget that he is an NFL player, that he earns eight figures a year, and that he is judged on the color of his skin. Now, if this “normal Kaepernick” were to kneel during the national anthem, would we still see him the same way?
To me, this is the version of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback we should be looking at: a normal American citizen who knelt during the national anthem to prove a point and to better all Americans. Although his actions may come off as offensive to some members of the military, the authorities, and others who have differing perceptions of what it means to be a patriot, he is only trying to send one message: the oppression and violence against black people and other people of color needs to stop.
Now, I don’t think these people who disagree with his actions are necessarily wrong, but I do think their opinions are colored by certain aspects of him, and their definition of patriotism. Let’s start off with some of the more obscure criticisms of Kaepernick. A lot of these center around his race and salary.
Critics have pointed out that Kaepernick is actually biracial. The most disturbing thing about this argument is not the assumption that biracial people are not affected by racism, or even the apparent ignorance of the fact that biracial people like Kaepernick are, by definition, descended from black people, many of whom were slaves at the time of the national anthem’s writing. It’s the insinuation that someone who isn’t personally affected by a problem cannot be justified in fighting that problem.
Where would we be today if only black people could advocate abolition in the 19th century, and all white people, including Abraham Lincoln kept quiet? Advocating silence is advocating complacency, and advocating complacency is advocating the status quo.
As far as Kaepernick’s wealth and salary goes, the main criticism seems to be focused on two related topics. The first is the idea that Kaepernick should just remain quiet and enjoy the money he earns. This seems ridiculous. If you are going to hold Kaepernick to this standard, then you have to hold all people of similar wealth to it, regardless of their profession. If Colin Kaepernick does not have the right to speak about racial issues due to his salary, then why should we listen to either of our multi-millionaire front-running presidential candidates?
The second criticism points to the fact that, if Kaepernick wants change, then he should use his lucrative salary to make an impact. This is a fair argument. However, Kaepernick has decided to donate one million of his $11.9 million contract to charitable organizations. It may not seem like a generous amount, but it does show that Kaepernick is at least sincere about what he stands for.
Sincerity, however, may not be the biggest question concerning Kaepernick’s stand, which is whether or not his actions are patriotic. Former political science professor Howard Zinn said “dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” In my opinion, Colin Kaepernick fully embodies this. It’s not that he is unpatriotic, it’s just that his way of expressing patriotism is unpopular with some people, thus making it subject to criticism.
Patriotism tends to be viewed as something that projects a positive image for our country. Whether it is the national anthem, an NFL game, or commending a war hero, patriotism is most commonly celebrated in a positive way that emphasizes national unity, or making a sacrifice to protect the people. Many people believe any negative criticism is an attack on the United States. Colin Kaepernick is explicitly saying that he does not want to stand for the national anthem, because the issue of racial discrimination is not being resolved. Now, unless solving racial discrimination is a bad thing, then it sounds like Kaepernick wants to improve our country. In other words, he is criticizing America only to better it, not to hate on it.
I think this has been a common misconception of not only Kaepernick, but also other professional athletes throughout our history. One that comes to mind is Muhammad Ali. Like many other Americans during this time, Ali refused to enlist in the military to go to Vietnam. He thought the activity going on in the Asian country was inhumane, and that, as a black American, he was not willing to fight a white man’s war against other people of color. In turn, Ali was subjected to criticisms. People thought it was unpatriotic of him not to defend his country, when he may have been defending something even bigger: human rights injustices. He pointed a finger at the United States for this injustice. He sacrificed his own reputation and fame to show the fault in what his country was doing and to show where it needs improvement.
Although Kaepernick is protesting a different topic, his purpose is the same as Ali’s. He is putting himself, his money, and his NFL career on the line for the greater good of our country. The adjectives that describe Kaepernick don’t matter to what he is trying to prove; they should not be points of criticism. Most importantly, the people who think he is being unpatriotic are only looking at patriotism through a more narrowed lense.
Part of the dictionary definition of patriotism emphasizes the ability to defend and have devoted love to one’s country. Colin Kaepernick has not gone to war, but he has stood up and openly defended the black community. May be he has not shown devoted love to his country in a popular way, but Colin Kaepernick has put his entire career on the line to promote his ideas on how the United States should improve. And that, to me, is the real Colin Kaepernick.