As he continued to stay seated game after game, more players across the NFL joined in support. It seemed that every American had their own opinion on the matter, either supporting or condemning the protest against racism in America.
After the first few weeks of players sitting, kneeling and locking arms during the National Anthem, the media outcry eventually subsided. That is, until this year.
The election of President Donald Trump, along with his handling of the Charlottesville protests, amplified the protests by NFL players this season. Unsurprisingly, Trump decided to put his two cents into the situation during a recent speech in Alabama.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he’s fired’?” Trump said.
The comments revived the public debate surrounding the protests, polarized the NFL and intensified the protests. The following day, every team had players protest, and many teams protested together.
The Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem of their game against the Chicago Bears.
The Dallas Cowboys — also known as America’s Team — was joined by owner Jerry Jones as the team knelt together and locked arms before the Anthem in a sign of unity days after the President’s words tried to tear them apart.
Other owners did the same, including Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who donated one million dollars to Trump’s inauguration.
“I met with our team captains prior to the game to express my support for them, all NFL players and the League following the divisive and contentious remarks made by President Trump and was honored to be arm-in-arm with them, their teammates and our coaches during our anthem,” Khan said.
Probably the biggest statement of the weekend though, was during the Cowboys-Arizona Cardinals game, which took center stage as the only Monday Night Football game. Even singer Jordin Sparks, who got the limelight for her rendition of the Anthem, took a political stand.
Written on her hand was “Prov 31:8-9,” referencing the Biblical quote from the Old Testament that says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; Defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
While these displays of unity powerfully dispel President Trump’s divisive comments, the NFL cannot lose sight of what they are actually protesting. The reason Colin Kaepernick did not stand up for the National Anthem a year ago — and the reason he still remains unemployed — is racism.
Racism is the same reason someone like Donald Trump was elected. His election is what gives racists and elitists the confidence to parade down the streets of a town like Charlottesville.
And when the President of the United States responds to the people promoting hate and violence by calling them “fine people,” meanwhile calling those NFL players who kneel in protest of racism “sons of bitches,” it provides proof that there is still deep-rooted racism in America.
Personally, I did not realize the extent of this deep-seated hate until the events of the last year unfolded. With each new occurrence, whether it is the white supremacists marching in Charlottesville or police abuse against African Americans, I keep telling myself “this can’t be real.” But each is as real as the next.
I realize now that there is a very real issue that needs to be corrected, and to do that, everyone needs to be committed to acknowledging there is a problem. I think one of the best ways to do that is through the athletes who have a platform to reach millions of people every week.
These protests cannot be one-hit wonders for players. Fans need to see them standing by their cause week after week, just as Colin Kaepernick did last season. According to ESPN, 180 players knelt in protest in Week 3, but only 52 knelt in Week 4.
The protest is not just to show unity against an immature president who is more concerned with professional athletes protesting than he is with actual policy, it is about the racism that has been justified by this President.
