There is a chill in the air; and I am not just referring to the return of fall sports. Racial tensions in America have been at an all-time high; and for various reasons. Capital, education and family structure all play a role in upbringing; your exposure and access to them ultimately mold who you are. Sports and entertainment have always been a seen as a way out for some; a way to leave a dangerous neighborhood, attend a prestigious university and ultimately support their family. It is the story of so many collegiate and professional athletes.
Colin Kaepernick has been the topic of conversation of late, but his story is a little different. As a fellow athlete, who also happens to be bi-racial, he has always been intriguing to me. The fact that he is adopted and religious increases his relatability to so many Americans. The twenty-nine-year-old free agent has been outspoken on numerous injustices; not just race. He spoke openly about America investing more into prisons than education during an interview with the Miami Herald. Drafted in 2011 by the 49ers and an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII in 2012, Kaepernick was on the fast track. In 2013, Kaepernick was intercepted in the NFC Championship Game and ended the 49ers attempt to return to the Super Bowl. The 2014 season ended 8-8, with Jim Harbaugh resigning. Kaepernick struggled under the new head coach, Jim Tomsula; he also underwent surgery on his left should in 2015. So why should we be surprised that he chose to sit for the national anthem during a pre-season game in 2016? He later opted to kneel for the national anthem to show respect for the military members who have served in the armed forces; yet another example at how in depth his level of respect and awareness is for people. Some saw this as a marketing ploy or an excuse for the obvious; a distraction from the real reason he has not been acquired. Is it because the average lifespan of an NFL quarterback is 4½ years or because he is stirring up much needed controversy with his support of the Black Lives Matter movement? Considering his timing, I believe Colin is genuinely motivated to spark a change in our communities. 2016 was riddled with police shootings and “Not Guilty” verdicts across our nation. The real question should be, why aren’t more people sitting down and speaking up? As of late, the majority of feedback I have seen on the issue, calls for a boycott of the NFL; amazing. Let me be clear, I would love to see the boycott of a major sports organization, but how realistic is that? After all, we had an opportunity to do this when Donald Sterling, the former owner of the LA Clippers, was exposed for making racial comments during the 2014 playoffs; all the players and the fans had to do then, was sit out one game. No physical attendance at the stadium. No socializing at venues with the game displayed. No watching the game at home with friends and family; the impact with sponsors would have been received loud and clear. In 1964, hours before tip-off, NBA players planned to boycott the All-Star Game; pensions were paid immediately. In 1964, the fans did not have to act; today, we do. We cannot expect one person to carry the responsibility of bringing about change, for burdens we all face daily. Nor can we anticipate more martyrs on our behalf without our support behind them. This is bigger than sports and Kaepernick is aware of that. Since his time away from the NFL, his role as an activist has kept him busy; those are the real stats worth discussing. For starters, Colin pledged one million dollars to over twenty-four different organizations; $700,000.00 has already been donated despite him waiting for a job opportunity. The Know Your Rights Camp is a free campaign for children that focuses on how to interact with law enforcement, higher education and self-empowerment. It is fully funded by Colin and holds full-day youth seminars. Chicago, the Bay Area and New York City have already had events staged there, with more cities to come. This is not new however for Kaepernick. He has volunteered at Camp Taylor, a camp for children with heart disease, years prior to the controversy. Heart disease is something that he and his family hold dear; his adopted parents lost two newborn sons to this prior to adopting Colin. This further speaks to Kaepernick’s character; his actions mirror his words. Fans made Kaepernick’s jersey the most sought-after this year; who profited from that? It shows how important and influential the minority dollar is, but what good is that if it does not benefit those same minorities directly. Who is hiring us? Who are we working for? Shopping with? These are the real questions we should be asking; “Where does our money go?” With this in mind, an NFL boycott is simply not enough; we have to be more pro-active within our communities and here is why. As we plan to boycott the NFL, we must be prepared for the financial and economic consequences. Lower turn-outs at arenas and bars will result in the lay-offs of everyone from maintenance workers, security staff and food-handlers. The sales of merchandise will also wane with the boycott, leaving sneaker and apparel corporations with a loss of sales; stores will close and ultimately more lay-offs will follow. Who do you think will be the first to be laid-off? This is a key opportunity to discuss how the increase in minority owned businesses will improve employment opportunities in our communities. Competition will ultimately raise wages and minimize the leverage against minorities financially. More capita per household will improve educational opportunities and allow parents to spend more time with their children; thus improving the family structure. Colin has started this conversation indirectly; it is time for us to finish it. Kaepernick stated, “To me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.” The question is, which way will you be looking this fall?
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Jenna A. HercheA native New Yorker, Jenna has been in various facets of the entertainment industry for over twenty years. Her newest venture is media. Be sure to stay tuned for her perspective on the industry and the politics that come with the territory. CategoriesArchives
March 2020
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