A Kaep Full

The NFL can no longer Ignore the Kaepernick Movement

With the 2017–2018 NFL season closing in, the Leagues has its hands full of Colin Kaepernick supporters knocking on its front door. Over 1,000 people Gathered outside of the NFL Head office In New York on Wednesday to support Kaepernick as he has yet to be signed to a team following his 2016–2017 National Anthem Protest.

A stand for justice that began with sitting down, as Kaepernick first sat during the National Anthem in August of 2016 to protest the violence happening against people of color by law enforcement and that lack of justice that followed behind it. Kaepernick felt as though the ideals that this nation expresses within the national anthem were far from being expressed within the nation itself. A nation that advocates for freedom and justice for all people should do just that. This is what Kaepernick was trying to get the world to understand through his refusal to stand for the anthem trying to bring awareness to the social Injustice going on in this nation.

After taking his knee for equality many souls began to participate in this movement while others thought it was completely disrespectful to the American flag and and troops who fight for this country. Even though Kaepernick has expressed that his protest is not to disrespect members of the military he still has suffered the consequences for an act of freedom of speech, trying to give a voice to those who do not. A message that has resonated across all platforms of athletics.

From Athletic programs in high schools taking kneeling in support of Kaepernicks movement. Followed by many other notable individuals using the power they have to give people a voice just as Colin Kaepernick wanted.

Megan Rapinoe Kneeling During Nation Anthem
Brandon Marshall Kneeling in support of Colin Kaepernick

Following the rise in the social injustice movement that Kaepernick sparked across the NFL and many of the organizations, it has been a struggle for him to find work. Teams are afraid of the negative reaction they may get from fans if they sign Kaepernick. On top of that bigotry sewn within the League and fear of harassment are key role players in Kaepernicks unemployment.

Patriotism is one of the NFLs selling point and with Kaepernicks movement against Social Injustice and Police Brutality involving kneeling during the National Anthem his since of Patriotism is slandered by the masses. Plenty of teams in the NFL need a capable Quarter Back who has the ability to perform on a consistent basis and make thing happen and Kaepernick fits that role but hasn’t been given the opportunity. Three Quarter Backs with Stats worse than Colin Kaepernick and higher salary caps have been signed over Colin Kaepernick so far.

Lack of skill is a statement that cannot be used when describing this man so what could else could it really be holding GM’s back from hiring this player with solid performance. The harassment from the people is a risk that many teams would not like to take, but on to of that the nations Twitter bully President Trump will have more than enough to say about whatever team that does. As during a Health Care speech Trump bragged about Kaepernick was out of the job and how some GM were actually reported stating that “that NFL owners don’t want to pick him up because they don’t want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump” showing fear some owners have of the president.

On top of that the NFL has no African-American owners at all and even though the make up of the sport is 70 percent black, the sport is deeply tied conservatively. As many of the GM’s have personal relationships with Donald trump, such as the Jets owner Woody Johnson, New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft and John Elway the general manager of the Denver Broncos.

Even though the season is on the brink of beginning and Kaepernick still has not to found a team to fight for on the field. He is still fighting for the people donating millions of dollars to organizations that fight social injustices in the world, all the while the people are fighting for him. With so many players following his lead to bring awareness, and the thousands of fans supporting it is only a matter of time before he is signed to a new team. Soon teams will see the positvity in what he is doing as soon as they figure out a way to profit from it Also the backlash that the league will see from fans if this treatment of Kaepernick continues. As the now the NAACP is calling for a national boycott of the NFL. With the right voices and the power of the public uniting the league will be in for a rough upcoming season receiving public and media backlash for the blackballing of Colin Kaepernick.

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