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Colin Kaepernick's Kairos

In this video, Colin Kaepernick addressed the press after the first game he kneeled during the National Anthem to protest police brutality against African Americans. Kaepernick started this protest during the summer of 2016, when police brutality was at a high, with two men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, being killed by police within a day of each other. Since the death of Michael Brown in 2014, people all over the country have started to protest police brutality against people of color. This includes the development of the Black Lives Matter movement, which have protested the unfair treatment of African Americans. Kaepernick received a lot of backlash for kneeling but he continued to do it because he felt it was the best way to spread his message on the field. This silent protest evolved this year when President Trump criticized players who knelt and called for them to be fired by the National Football League. In response, football players around the country have knelt or done some other form of protest, such as raise their fist or chose not to come onto the field during the anthem, to show solidarity with Kaepernick and victims of police violence.

By Ellie Pearson

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 4, 2017 at 4:28 PM

    You did a great job of setting up the context of the press conference especially bringing up the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castille which many people have probably forgotten about now, a year out from the occurrences. I also liked how you brought in newer information about the President and his take on the protests. It is really helpful to know the situation before and after the event and you covered both in your analysis which is what I think makes it successful.

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  2. The Women's Rights Movement ENG101October 4, 2017 at 5:59 PM

    This post was very informative in explaining Kaepernick's motives for his actions. By understanding his motives, I was able to see how deeply interrelated kairos and personal beliefs are. Had the president perhaps not responded so harshly to the protests, Kaepernick might not have had as much solidarity. I think the president's words impacted how exigent the issue of racism has become.

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  3. UnknownOctober 4, 2017 at 7:23 PM

    Your post did a good job of summing up what the purpose of Kappernick's protest against police brutality, and why we see the rest of the NFL now joining him in arms now after President Trump's comments about the protest. They should be allowed to protest the national anthem in peace, now that even the president has turned their backs against them.

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  4. Sarah RoOctober 6, 2017 at 9:07 PM

    I love how you attached additional links to clarify the kairos regarding the police brutality at the time of initial protest. I also like the way you mentioned the Black Lives Matter movement because that’s a major societal movement that influenced this protest and brought the issue of racial inequality/discrimination to the surface of not only discussions but on the political fields. Bringing the opposition to the movement, Trump, is also important because it increases your credibility by demonstrating your awareness of both sides on this issue.

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  5. UnknownOctober 8, 2017 at 8:55 PM

    You did a good job introducing the topic to your readers which makes it easy to follow the situation as a whole. I really like how you linked us to an NPR article that covered the two deaths. Kaepernick's protest came at a crucial time in the fight against racial injustice. With multiple deaths in the preceding year, the Black Lives Matter movement gained a lot of traction and people everywhere are starting to fight for racial justice.

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  6. UnknownOctober 9, 2017 at 8:51 PM

    I think your summary of the event was informative and effective in contextualizing the issue you researched. Your diction is fairly impartial, which is refreshing to see when reading about such controversial topics. By including an outside source, you show that you truly dedicated time and effort into finding the most accurate information to present. I also appreciate your structure, since the chronology of these events may often be confusing.

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