How the Colin Kaepernick Controversy Has Proven One Sad Fact About Our Culture

With only a few more weeks until the NFL season kicks off, the hysteria surrounding quarterback Colin Kaepernick has begun again. For those of you who don’t know, Kaepernick protested our nation’s anthem last year by kneeling while it was played before the start of games. His act was in protest of what he calls oppression of non-white races in the United States. He is also an activist against police violence. He says, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

This is not the only controversy Colin has caused. In a postgame press-conference, Kaepernick wore a shirt depicting the meeting between Malcom X and the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. This move was condemned by many as hypocritical, and rightly so. Colin Kaepernick claims he is protesting oppression in America and then he goes and wears a t-shirt of one of the most oppressive leaders this generation has ever known. Kaeprernick's defense of his action was, “I wore a Malcom X shirt.”

It’s obvious that the quarterback holds views that are radical, but it is also obvious that he is sincere about what he believes in, and he really wants to make a difference in the lives of oppressed people. Recently he and a group of activists convinced Turkish Airlines to send 60 tons of cargo to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. He has also raised over $500,000 for Camp Taylor, a camp for kids with heart defects. You can’t deny the fact that Colin is working hard to make a difference for those in need, but he is still a character of controversy for many people. The Kaepernick controversy has shown us many things over the past year, but the saddest thing it has revealed is that Americans are so allergic to opposing viewpoints to the point they despise their fellow countrymen who hold views contrary to their own.

You have every right to disagree with this next statement, but if you are going to disagree please read my reasons for coming to this conclusion. Colin Kaepernick doesn’t have a job in the NFL because owners, fans, and some coaches genuinely despise him because of the views he’s so passionate about.

Kaeperinck is good enough to play in the league

Can we put down the ridiculous notion that Colin Kaepernick has not been signed because he is not good enough to play on a professional team? The guy led the 49ers to a super bowl, and turned around the very next year to take them to an NFC championship. His career completion percentage is up there with the league’s best starting QBs. His touchdown to interception ratio over the past five years is equal to that of Drew Brees and better than Cam Newton’s. I’m not saying Colin Kaepernick is as good as these great players, but wouldn’t you think that he could land at least a backup position with stats like this?

Kaepernick doesn’t draw any more bad attention than players like Dez Bryant, Richard Sherman, or Ndamukong Suh.

There is another silly reason people have come up with for why Kaepernick hasn’t been signed. Some say that owners and GMs don’t want Colin because he would draw too much bad attention to the team. This doesn’t make any sense because teams still sign players who cause far more than their fair share of poor publicity. Owners don’t seem to mind having players who get busted for drugs every other season, or players who have such a high love for themselves they don’t care about playing for the team, so why would they be afraid of signing Kaepernick? Owners don’t seem to care about bad publicity at all as long as they’re winning, but when a player comes along who voices his opinion they’re all of a sudden worried about bad attention. This leads right into the point that Colin Kaepernick has proven, and it is so saddening about our culture.

Colin Kaepernick has proven that Americans don’t honor opposing viewpoints with dignity

Colin Kaepernick has every right to protest our nation’s anthem, and you have every right to criticize him for it. But we seemed to have jumped off the cliff and, instead of pointing out the flaws of his views, have kindled a hatred of him, personally. This is proven by the fact that NFL owners won’t sign him and the fact that fans are burning his jersey. He’s proven that he’s good enough to play and even win games, but people have developed such a hatred for him as a person that they don’t want him on their team or in their league. Welcome to 21st century America, where diversity is applauded, unless it’s diversity of thought. You are welcome anywhere no matter what color you are, but if your views are different than others, you are dangerous.

What makes America great is not that we all agree with each other, but that we are all united despite our disagreements. Repairing our broken society doesn’t start with agreement, it starts with love. So, “let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another,” but “through love” let us “serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13b, 26)

*image source: http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article105600311.html