Sometimes all it takes is one idea to grab the attention of an entire nation. Muhammad Ali refusing to enlist for the Vietnam War, LeBron James wearing Black Lives Matter shirts to protest the death of Eric Garner. The list goes on.
Today, we are seeing a new movement mobilizing—one highlighted by a league of professional football players and the most powerful political voice in America.
On Sept. 24, the National Football League (NFL) decided to join in solidarity against prejudiced comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump by having players, coaches, and owners join in linking arms and kneeling during the American national anthem.
The rebellious showing of unity by the NFL has received mixed reactions from people all across North America, even prompting Trump to order fans of the sport to boycott all future games until teams put a halt to their protests.
The Canadian National Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders also joined in defiance that same day, by linking arms during the singing of “O Canada,” the first show of political solidarity by a Canadian sports organization.
In addition, the anti-Trump protests have even spread into Major League Baseball (MLB) after Oakland Athletics’ catcher Bruce Maxwell became the first MLB player to kneel during the anthem. It’s a sign that players and people across North America have had enough of ignoring the black and white elephant in the room, and are ready for a real change to happen.
What we have witnessed throughout this past week has never been seen or done before in the history of professional sports, at least not on this scale. While the unprecedented nature of these events can be infuriating and scary for many people, it’s an action that ultimately had to be done—and that’s a good thing.
When Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, decided to sit before every national anthem to protest racial inequality in America, he became an instant victim of ridicule for the media. He made a statement to the world that he was committed to bringing change through any means necessary—a stance that has forced him to sacrifice his job and professional reputation in the process.
Despite all of this, there was one important aspect missing from bringing these protests to the next level: unity. And that’s exactly what he got this week.
One important aspect that has been lacking from this debate ever since it began is participation by white professional athletes. According to a 2016 poll conducted last year by Reuters, nearly 63 per cent of white Americans surveyed were against NFL players protesting the national anthem, compared to only 17 per cent of Black Americans surveyed.
One of the more notable players participating much before anyone knew about the protest, was Nate Boyer, a former NFL player and United States Green Beret, who actually helped Kaepernick in coming to the decision of whether kneeling for the anthem would be an appropriate measure to take. Unification was always the key message being communicated, never once was it about the flag, the military, or even the anthem.
Whether you like it or not, sports will always have an impact on politics—even if there are those who believe it has absolutely no business being there in the first place.
It’s the idea that sports will always bring people together, and that the only judgment you’ll face is whether you’re rooting for the home or away team.
The sports world has become the central battleground for the fight against racial inequality. And while we’ve been on the losing end for most of the fight, we may have finally opened the door to winning the war.
