This paper will attempt to demonstrate the positive aspects of Colin Kaepernick’s protest during the national anthem. I understand that this is a controversial topic, and many people do not condone Kaepernick’s behavior. However, this paper will provide research as to how Colin Kaepernick’s behavior has brought positive changes throughout society.
Colin Kaepernick, now a free agent, was a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. In the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick made a political statement by taking a knee during the national anthem. This sparked a national controversy causing many people to show disgust while causing others to support his decision. According to the Washington Post, when asked the reason behind his protest, Kaepernick
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However, many people that support the military still find his actions disrespectful. (Since this is a short paper, here is a link that goes into greater detail as to why some people in the military respect Colin Kaepernick’s statement: https://www.snopes.com/veteran-kaepernick-take-a-knee-anthem/.)
Although there are a lot of negative reactions to Colin Kaepernick’s protest, Kaepernick has brought about positive changes in society. For example, Kaepernick has glorified the issue regarding Black Lives Matter, making everyone aware of the issue. Kaepernick has also influenced other athletes to join the protest. According to Lindsay Gibbs, more than 3,500 people have joined Kaepernick’s movement, and more than 200 protests have happened during the national anthem (2017). Colin Kaepernick has also encouraged others that hold the same power he does, to speak up. For example, a famous rapper known as Eminem recently release a new album called Revival, where he addresses many political issues. One of the songs called Untouchable, discusses police brutality, racism, and protesting. Eminem mentions Colin Kaepernick in the song, stating “So we don’t need all your crooked police peace officer offerings, just keep marching, til’ we reach congress, but they gonna say you’re trying to take an