Colin Kaepernick’s Movement - Bakari Williams

Analysis: The movement that San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick has begun is no secret to anyone who has seen the news or watches the games, but as the 15th anniversary of one of america’s most tragic days in recent history is upon us, all eyes will be on Kaepernick. In a sort of ironic twist, San Francisco is one of the only 6 teams not to play on the day of 9/11 but in light of recent events, many are still left wondering what Kaepernick will do come Monday night. Many see the matter of him choosing to take a knee during the national anthem as disgraceful and “un-american” as a whole, although on the other hand he has also gained the support of other players in the league as well as fans nation-wide. People that are against his cause say that his display of disrespect for the anthem should be punished but the problem with that is that they would be contradicting the very essence of why America is what it is now. Others say he is disrespecting and even disregarding what people in the military and its veterans; Kaepernick claims that his cause has nothing to do with the military or anything of that sort but instead dealing more with the history of oppression in the U.S. and is taking a stand to say that enough is enough going to the extent to even working with some soldiers in the military and veterans. No matter how people feel on the topic and his stance you cannot say that his cause is truly wrong because everyone has their own opinions of right or wrong because in reality, everyone wishes that their famous idols stand for some type of cause, until it’s not the same cause that they stand for. What Colin Kaepernick is doing is becoming a catalyst for change by using his image in media to bring light issues and call for change which is how change always begins in American history; now only one question remains: What is his specific endgame besides just ending oppression if there is no true end to it?

Synthesis: What Colin Kaepernick does in his stance is practice his first amendment rights of freedom of speech and religion. This is a close tie to English settlement of the Americas because the true cause for exploration by most colonists was their wish to practice their religions freely and to not be punished or discriminated because of it. When colonists moved to the americas they had a freedom from the grasp of England and a choice whether to become the change they wanted to see in the world or just preach to other people about it. The colonists and Kaepernick took the choice they were given and became catalysts for change in the world by making a stand against what they thought was wrong and stood strong in what they felt was right. Even though there were many people against them they persevered and therefore made a change just by speaking their minds.