A few weeks ago we
discussed how Thomas Jefferson “moved the goalposts” when he analyzed Phyllis
Wheatley’s literary ability. He refused to accept her poetry as legitimate citing
that her writing prowess was a product of religion rather than her own talents.
In doing this Jefferson completely distorted the debate pertaining to Wheatley’s
writing. The same technique has been used to misappropriate the NFL players
protest started by former San Francisco 49er’s quarterback Colin Kaepernick. White
Americans and the media have ‘moved the goalposts’ and falsely portrayed the
NFL demonstrations as a ‘protest of the flag and national anthem,’ rather than
grappling with what the players are truly protesting against: inequality,
police violence, and racism.
When Colin Kaepernick
first started his protest during the 2016 NFL preseason he choose to sit. However,
after reading an article written by a fellow NFL player and Green Beret veteran
Nate Boyer who felt hurt by his actions, Kaepernick arranged a meeting and they
had a two-hour talk on the matter. Boyer said that during the conversation
Kaepernick asked him , “How can I show respect to [veterans], but still get
across my message that I’m not satisfied with the way things are going in this
country?”[1] The
two decided that kneeling for the anthem would be the best way to demonstrate,
as it shows respect for those who fought and died for the country while also
drawing attention to the protest.
Colin Kaepernick
was clear from the beginning with his message, that he was using the national
anthem simply as a vehicle to protest America’s failure to live up to its
promise of legal equality for all citizens. Yet many Americans (especially including the
President) still see his actions as something different. When watching the news
or reading posts on social media, people commonly describe the demonstrations
as protests against the flag, military, and or national anthem. It’s like
saying Rosa Parks was protesting the transportation system, or BLM marchers are
protesting traffic; they completely miss the point of what is really going on. Then
these same people often cite that ‘there is a better way’ to protest, believing
that kneeling is disrespectful. [2] But
when has a protest ever been considered a respectful thing in America? When Civil Rights protestors peacefully marched
across the Edmund Pettis Bridge and were violently assaulted by state troopers,
they were seen as radicals stirring up trouble. When black students decided to sit
at segregated lunch counters, they were criminals disrupting law and order. Simply put, there has never been, and never
will be a right way to protest racial inequality.
Contending with
true message of Kaepernick’s protest is uncomfortable for white Americans. Thus,
like so many times in the past, instead of listening to the struggles of
African Americans, the narrative has been reframed to an easier conversation.
One where whites can say ‘Black people have it good enough already, why are
they so ungrateful?’
I pledge to the Honor Code
WC: 495
[1] Nick Wagoner, “From a seat to a knee: How Colin Kaepernick and Nate Boyer are trying to
effect change,” ESPN, Sep. 6, 2016,
http://www.espn.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/19253/from-a-seat-to-a-knee-how-colin-kaepernick-and-nate-boyer-are-trying-to-affect-change.
[2] Nick Wright and German Lopez, “The best 5
minutes on the NFL protests,” Vox, Sep.
18TH, 2017, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/28/16378846/nfl-protests-trump-nick-wright.
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