By
Carol Ealey
Now
that the regular football season starts on Sunday the Colin
Kaepernick flag controversy has created a real dialogue about what
the flag represents and racial injustice in America. When I heard
that Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the playing of the
national anthem in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against
African Americans and minorities in the United States, my first
reaction was what is he thinking? Why risk your career especially
since his tenure on the team was still in question at that time.
Now
three weeks into the controversy, I have learned a lot about the
history of the flag and I have more respect for Kaepernick. He’s
not just a stupid jock but someone who feels deeply about this
country and the mistreatment of minorities and the unjustified
killings of African Americans by the police.
Kaepernick
told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game "I am
not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that
oppresses black people and people of color," "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."
By
taking a stand for civil rights, Kaepernick, 28, joins other
athletes, like the NBA's Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, LeBron James and
Carmelo Anthony and several WNBA players in using their platform and
status to raise awareness to issues affecting minorities in the U.S.
Kaepernick
has received support from President Obama, Steph Curry, Megan Rapinoe
USWNT soccer star, and this Sunday the Seattle Seahawks are expected
to show their support for Kaepernick by locking arms when the
national anthem is played.
However,
one of the best expressions of support came from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
who wrote in The Washington Post:
What
should horrify Americans is not Kaepernick’s choice to remain
seated during the national anthem, but that nearly 50 years after
[Muhammad] Ali was banned from boxing for his stance and Tommie Smith
and John Carlos’s raised fists caused public ostracization and
numerous death threats, we still need to call attention to the same
racial inequities. Failure to fix this problem is what’s really
un-American here.
But
many others have criticized Kaepernick, including the Santa Clara,
CA, police union, which has threatened to boycott 49ers games.
Kaepernick has been booed and heckled at recent games by fans that
see his behavior as disrespectful and inappropriate.
What
I have learned about the national anthem is that “The Star Spangled
Banner” contains racist language, most notably in its third stanza,
which is seldom sung today. (Most performances stop after the first
stanza.) The third section states: “No refuge could save the
hireling and slave / from the terror of flight or the gloom of the
grave …”
The
line is believed to refer to black slaves who were promised freedom
if they fought on the side of the British during the War of 1812. The
song “casts aspersions on black people. It does a disservice to
black people today,” said Gerald Horne, chair of history and
African-American studies at the University of Houston. He said
performing the anthem today is the equivalent of saying that “things
should never change and remain frozen in aspic. … It’s a
war-mongering song that’s totally inappropriate for 2016 and people
need to get over it.”
Kaepernick
started this dialogue regarding social injustice and I hope it
continues, however, my fear is that if Kaepernick does not play well
and is ultimately released by the 49ers the issue will fade. I hope
Kaepernick has a great season and wins the starting quarterback
position with the 49ers so that he can continue the fight.
***
