THE PRESS BOX: Athletes and activism — stand together

Remove all of the politics and unsolicited, agenda-pushing rhetoric. Remove the mixed messages of symbology as they relate to American patriotism. Remove the massive contract, the backup status, and the white adoptive parents. Those things are inconsequential.

Acknowledge this: Colin Kaepernick is a well-known NFL quarterback who has been quietly and peacefully protesting the oppression of minorities in this country by sitting, and then kneeling, during the National Anthem. Kaepernick did this because he wanted to make cultural waves that he hopes will spark a conversation and ultimately induce change.

Perspectives surrounding the message Kaepernick aims to impart are, for the most part, unified. The systematic oppression of Black people and people of color is ingrained in our society, and this reality appears to have been accepted by the masses outside narrow minded conservative America. The vast majority of Kaepernick’s supporters and proponents alike do not disagree with his point; they disagree with his methods.

Kaepernick has said his controversial stance is not directed toward people in the U.S. military, yet he has been railed on as insensitive to those who have made sacrifices for our country. A Gold Star mom who lost her son in an IED attack in Afghanistan told CNN that her heart stopped and she lost her breath when Kaepernick said he couldn’t stand for the flag.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a bracket of veterans have come forward to express their support for Kaepernick via the social media hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick. Many social media posts praise him for bringing awareness to the issue.

“It’s a misconception that every military member is furious at his protest when there are those that are proud. #veteransforkaepernick” wrote Instagram user TreyFade.

One tweet read: “I don’t agree with all of his points, but I’ll fight to the death for his right to say it. #VeteransForKaepernick”

Similarly, other athletes’ reactions have varied significantly.

US Soccer’s Megan Rapinoe chose to kneel alongside Kaepernick in a National Women’s Soccer League match in Chicago on Sept. 4.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties,” Rapinoe said. “It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

In contrast, many prominent Black athletes have presented seemingly dissenting perspectives.

“I would never do that,” said NBA hall of famer Shaquille O’Neal. “My father was a military man, and you know, he protected this country. (My) uncles are in law enforcement, they go out and work hard every day. Just, (there are) other ways to get your point across.” 

There are innumerable methods of engaging in social activism that have been exercised by prominent athletes. 

For example, in the wake of growing exposure to instances of police brutality and targeting of Americans of color this past summer, USA basketball’s Carmelo Anthony worked with the Los Angeles Police Department to hold a town-hall style discussion on the subject.

The event, titled Leadership Together: A Conversation With Our Sons And Daughters, brought the LAPD together with a number of famous athletes and 80 local teenagers of color. The dominant topic of discussion was the relationship between police and minorities in the community. Anthony also donated an undisclosed amount to the local Boys and Girls club.

Shortly before Anthony’s meeting, Michael Jordan, perhaps the most recognizable athlete in the world, released a statement on his perception of the issues.

Jordan said he was “troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers.”

Consequentialy, Jordan donated a million dollars both to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s new Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Athletes, namely those of color, have the unique opportunity to speak on a platform pertinent to their opposition. As in the case of Kaepernick, and earlier this year Panther’s quarterback Cam Newton, conservative America seems prone to unleashing a firestorm of hatred upon any athlete of color who does something “controversial.”

The paradoxical truth inherent in this reality is how easily black athletes can influence the thinking of white America: few mediums exist through which this influence is so readily accessible.

This wide range of viewership allots professional athletes a unique voice. Jordan and Anthony chose to exercise that voice in the most influential manner they saw fit, as did Kaepernick. They just arrived at drastically different conclusions. As did the Seattle Seahawks and their outspoken wide-receiver Doug Baldwin, who all stood and locked arms as the national anthem played Sunday on the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

“We are a team comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds,” Baldwin said in a video he posted on Twitter before Sunday’s game. “As a team we have chosen to stand and interlock arms in unity. We honor those who have fought for the freedom we cherish. And we stand to ensure the riches of freedom and security of justice for all people. Progress can and will be made only if we stand together.”

As a caption to his own personal statement, Baldwin cited Martin Luther King Jr. in his appeal for unity.

“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” Baldwin wrote.

This sentiment, along with O’Neals’ and many other prominent figures’ in the sports world, appears, on surface level, to be a contradiction to Kaepernick’s opinion.

This is a misconception. Very few people have dissented from what the now infamous 49ers backup-quarterback is trying to say. Many have dissented from how he said it. And that is OK.

The very fact that this conversation has dominated American media sense Kaepernick chose to kneel is a success. His actions may insult you because of what the flag means to you personally, or they may inspire and motivate you to influence change in your community. And that, similarly, is OK.

The point is that Kaepernick made his voice heard in a peaceful manner and that voice has inspired a conversation. There will never be much semblance of unity in response to socially inflammatory statements. This, however, cannot impede the proliferation of those statements.

Athletes have a responsibility to use their pedestal in society to influence progress. Kaepernick, Anthony and Jordan among many others have laid the groundwork for change. It’s up to us to stand with them.

SPORTS EDITOR

Sophia Belletti
Sophia is a junior journalism major pursuing a minor in gender, sexuality and women’s studies. She enjoys writing about current events and sports, and hopes to one day be a sports reporter covering soccer, basketball and/or baseball. You can usually find Sophia drinking way too much coffee and laughing at her own jokes.
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SPORTS EDITOR

Zach Joachim
Zach is a junior pursuing a dual degree in print journalism and English. A proud Norfolk-ian, he enjoys long walks on the beach, English literature of the romantic period and anything pertaining to Harry Potter or baseball. Zach an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan who can usually be found working at the Student Media Center or running along the James.
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Skye Ali
Skye is a senior majoring in Communication Arts and minoring in Psychology. She is passionate about illustration and finding creative spaces to have open discussions about mental illness. A fervent animal lover, she would probably be a herpetologist in another life.
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