by Lucy Kuchma ‘18

Over the past couple of weeks, an athlete by the name of Colin Kaepernick has made countless headlines across the United States for his protests against the recurrent injustices perpetrate against African Americans and other minorities in this country.

The 28 year-old backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers took advantage of his grand national stage and put his aggrievement on display for millions of Americans when he kneeled during the performance of the National Anthem during a game against the Green Bay Packers in late August, and he has continued to take a knee during the anthem at all subsequent games this season.

Kaepernick has received significant backlash in response to his refusal to stand for the anthem along with his teammates. Critics have called it “an attack on American values” and an act of “blatant disrespect to our military,” but what is disrespectful about wanting your country to continue to exhibit the values it claims to be built upon?

The athlete has done nothing overtly wrong, as he protests silently and asks nothing of his audience but to allow him to do so. However, so very many Americans fail to realize that Kaepernick is not yet another celebrity trying to launch himself into the spotlight in order to attain popularity and stardom. Instead, he aims to make a mute statement regarding his country when it chooses to ignore the glaring racial inequity which strips millions of Americans of their basic rights.

It doesn’t make a person un-American to have problems with the way their nation is governed. If it did, there would be no one left to call themselves American. Kaepernick is simply taking advantage of his constitutional right to protest something he does not agree with.

A common question people find themselves asking is why Kaepernick would choose to position his protest in a time that is so sacred to many people. The reason seems fairly clear. An effective protest consists of both support and opposition. Kaepernick knew the timing of his actions would spark controversy, but that was his intention. He got people talking, positively and negatively, and he prompted the public to analyze the truth in the statement he made, which is all a protest can really ask of people.

Kaepernick’s protest is not yet over, and it is only growing stronger as more and more prominent figures join him in his cause. Celebrities like John Legend as well as other professional athletes such as Megan Rapinoe have begun to use their spotlight to show support for Kaepernick’s movement. The impact of Kaepernick’s statement is even evident in high schools nationwide. Within Montgomery County, some Watkins Mill athletes have begun kneeling, illustrating their backing for the athlete’s cause. In a recent town hall meeting, football players at Watkins Mill made a statement about their protest and announced that they will continue to kneel to show their support for the issue.

Even now, weeks after Kaepernick first made headlines, his movement is still a major buzz across the nation. He has announced that he intends to continue kneeling for the anthem until he sees the change in his country that people have been pushing towards for too long.