Why Is It Possible To Be Blackballed?
To be blackballed is to be excluded from membership by a negative vote according to Merriam-Webster (Merriam-Webster's dictionary, 11th ed., 2017). The situation ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is now facing due to his actions in the previous season by kneeling during the Star Spangled Banner could be considered such. The former 49ers quarterback, who led his team to a Super Bowl in 2013, is currently unemployed from football and it appears unlikely he will be employed in the National Football League (NFL) in the future. However, many believe he is not being ‘blackballed’ by the NFL and is out of a job due to his inability to perform as a quarterback. One of the most common arguments to support this claim is the fallacy that NFL organizations
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are built upon a ‘win above all else’ mentality. Colin Kaepernick’s reason for protest was to bring light to racial inequality and police brutality within the United States of America. It is important to critically consider the intentions behind organizations not wanting Kaepernick on their roster and what motivates these factors. Coakley defines social class ideology as, “interrelated ideas and beliefs that are widely shared and used by people to evaluate their material status; explain why economic success, failure, and inequalities exist; and what should be done about economic differences in a group or society” (Coakley, 2017, p.
16). In order to successfully accomplish proper research a variety of theories need to be applied. These theories help explain the way people think and feel about a particular topic based on their views, principles, and beliefs which construct a particular social world. Individuals with power understand the only way they can maintain control is by limiting social and cultural changes and the privileges which come along with them. On the contrary, people who want to make a difference in the world are not afraid of the repercussions that come with promoting change in society (Coakley, 2017, p. 13). Conflict, cultural, and structural theories were the primary and secondary themes used for …show more content…
research. Research conducted for this paper was primarily based on conflict theory.
Conflict theories attempt to examine economic exploitation and capitalist expansion as well as identify racism, sexism, and nationalism which twist the meaning and purpose of sport. Cultural theory is also a useful tool when considering the sociological impact involving Kaepernick’s protest and kneeling during the national anthem. Coakley explains how people in positions of power represent their own personal interests by upholding certain structures and practices, in this case standing with hand over heart for the Star Spangled Banner (Coakley, 2017, p. 526). When an individual or group of people challenge the interests of those in power positions, they are portrayed in a negative or harmful manner, in this particular case – unpatriotic. Many dislike using a conflict theory when studying sport because it addresses issues which may be difficult to discuss, such as social issues of racial inequality and police brutality. A downside to using conflict theory is it can fail to recognize the notion of inequality coming from a variety of factors and not solely from social class or economic differences. Combining conflict theory with cultural theory is beneficial when analyzing Colin Kaepernick and his protest because it enables the researcher to use both theories to critically consider the way people view his demonstration. It is important to consider how social organization and access to power, authority,
status, resources, and economic opportunities have affected his chances of playing in the NFL in the future.
The 26th of August, 2016 was a significant day for changing the culture surrounding racial inequality and police brutality in the United States of America. Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the Star Spangled Banner during a preseason game against the Packers and while the story took a week or so to develop via Twitter it began to gain national and eventually international attention. Once the issue began to gain steam it became a constant topic of discussion. Kaepernick faced immediate resistance and anger because of his decision to stay seated or kneel for the national anthem. Many considered him to be “unpatriotic” or “anti-American” due to what they perceived to be a lack of respect.
Not only did he garner disapproval from fans and spectators but also NFL employees and anonymous front office executives. However, many of the players around the league agreed with Kaepernick’s stance or at least his right to protest however he sees fit. According to Wagoner, one of the first people to stand by Colin was former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawk long snapper, Nate Boyer. Boyer penned a letter to Kaepernick stating how he initially felt angry towards the demonstration but after critical consideration he understood his right to protest. Following Boyer’s comments and stance many veterans took to social media to state their support for Colin’s protest. A hashtag was created on Twitter, #VeteransForKaepernick, and became a top trending subject in the United States (Wagoner, 2016). However, Colin Kaepernick later faced extreme criticism from the public following the media reports he wore socks symbolizing police as pigs. Colin never made an official statement about the socks but it was made clear he was not seeking mere compromise, he wanted justice. On September 9th Denver Broncos linebacker, Brandon Marshall, took a knee during the anthem prior to the season opening game. Marshall and Kaepernick were teammates at Nevada. Marshall was the first person to stand, in this case kneel, with Colin and over the following weeks the protest began to gain support and momentum (Sporting News, 2017).
Steve Wyche (2016) of NFL.com wrote an article about Colin’s protest and Kaepernick gave the following statement regarding his decision: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "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.” The 49ers issued a statement following stating, “"The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.” Colin was interviewed following the initial statement and said, “This is not something that I am going to run by anybody, I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right” (Wyche, 2016, August 28). A year later he is no longer employed by the National Football League.
Many who are opposed to the protest attribute it to the medium of the action. They feel the same type of protest can be done in a different setting which does not challenge the national anthem. People feel their patriotism and national pride are being attacked when he does not stand for the national anthem. For the most part, people agree on Colin Kaepernick having the right to kneel and express his views and opinions if he so chooses. Jesse Yomtov discussed a survey taken in September of 2016 which concluded Colin Kaepernick was the most disliked player in the NFL. “Kaepernick was ‘disliked a lot’ by 29% of those polled.” The next highest percentage was Jameis Winston at 22% followed by Ndamukong Suh at 21%. Yomtov also states, “In August 2014 when the poll was last conducted, Kaepernick was only ‘disliked a lot’ by 6% of those surveyed.” Yomtov concluded much of the change on how Kaepernick is perceived is based on race because the survey found that among African-Americans 42% said they like Kaepernick ‘a lot’ while only 2% dislike him ‘a lot.’ However, among white respondents 37% were found to dislike the quarterback ‘a lot’ (Yomtov, 2016).
are built upon a ‘win above all else’ mentality. Colin Kaepernick’s reason for protest was to bring light to racial inequality and police brutality within the United States of America. It is important to critically consider the intentions behind organizations not wanting Kaepernick on their roster and what motivates these factors. Coakley defines social class ideology as, “interrelated ideas and beliefs that are widely shared and used by people to evaluate their material status; explain why economic success, failure, and inequalities exist; and what should be done about economic differences in a group or society” (Coakley, 2017, p.
16). In order to successfully accomplish proper research a variety of theories need to be applied. These theories help explain the way people think and feel about a particular topic based on their views, principles, and beliefs which construct a particular social world. Individuals with power understand the only way they can maintain control is by limiting social and cultural changes and the privileges which come along with them. On the contrary, people who want to make a difference in the world are not afraid of the repercussions that come with promoting change in society (Coakley, 2017, p. 13). Conflict, cultural, and structural theories were the primary and secondary themes used for …show more content…
research. Research conducted for this paper was primarily based on conflict theory.
Conflict theories attempt to examine economic exploitation and capitalist expansion as well as identify racism, sexism, and nationalism which twist the meaning and purpose of sport. Cultural theory is also a useful tool when considering the sociological impact involving Kaepernick’s protest and kneeling during the national anthem. Coakley explains how people in positions of power represent their own personal interests by upholding certain structures and practices, in this case standing with hand over heart for the Star Spangled Banner (Coakley, 2017, p. 526). When an individual or group of people challenge the interests of those in power positions, they are portrayed in a negative or harmful manner, in this particular case – unpatriotic. Many dislike using a conflict theory when studying sport because it addresses issues which may be difficult to discuss, such as social issues of racial inequality and police brutality. A downside to using conflict theory is it can fail to recognize the notion of inequality coming from a variety of factors and not solely from social class or economic differences. Combining conflict theory with cultural theory is beneficial when analyzing Colin Kaepernick and his protest because it enables the researcher to use both theories to critically consider the way people view his demonstration. It is important to consider how social organization and access to power, authority,
status, resources, and economic opportunities have affected his chances of playing in the NFL in the future.
The 26th of August, 2016 was a significant day for changing the culture surrounding racial inequality and police brutality in the United States of America. Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the Star Spangled Banner during a preseason game against the Packers and while the story took a week or so to develop via Twitter it began to gain national and eventually international attention. Once the issue began to gain steam it became a constant topic of discussion. Kaepernick faced immediate resistance and anger because of his decision to stay seated or kneel for the national anthem. Many considered him to be “unpatriotic” or “anti-American” due to what they perceived to be a lack of respect.
Not only did he garner disapproval from fans and spectators but also NFL employees and anonymous front office executives. However, many of the players around the league agreed with Kaepernick’s stance or at least his right to protest however he sees fit. According to Wagoner, one of the first people to stand by Colin was former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawk long snapper, Nate Boyer. Boyer penned a letter to Kaepernick stating how he initially felt angry towards the demonstration but after critical consideration he understood his right to protest. Following Boyer’s comments and stance many veterans took to social media to state their support for Colin’s protest. A hashtag was created on Twitter, #VeteransForKaepernick, and became a top trending subject in the United States (Wagoner, 2016). However, Colin Kaepernick later faced extreme criticism from the public following the media reports he wore socks symbolizing police as pigs. Colin never made an official statement about the socks but it was made clear he was not seeking mere compromise, he wanted justice. On September 9th Denver Broncos linebacker, Brandon Marshall, took a knee during the anthem prior to the season opening game. Marshall and Kaepernick were teammates at Nevada. Marshall was the first person to stand, in this case kneel, with Colin and over the following weeks the protest began to gain support and momentum (Sporting News, 2017).
Steve Wyche (2016) of NFL.com wrote an article about Colin’s protest and Kaepernick gave the following statement regarding his decision: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "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.” The 49ers issued a statement following stating, “"The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.” Colin was interviewed following the initial statement and said, “This is not something that I am going to run by anybody, I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right” (Wyche, 2016, August 28). A year later he is no longer employed by the National Football League.
Many who are opposed to the protest attribute it to the medium of the action. They feel the same type of protest can be done in a different setting which does not challenge the national anthem. People feel their patriotism and national pride are being attacked when he does not stand for the national anthem. For the most part, people agree on Colin Kaepernick having the right to kneel and express his views and opinions if he so chooses. Jesse Yomtov discussed a survey taken in September of 2016 which concluded Colin Kaepernick was the most disliked player in the NFL. “Kaepernick was ‘disliked a lot’ by 29% of those polled.” The next highest percentage was Jameis Winston at 22% followed by Ndamukong Suh at 21%. Yomtov also states, “In August 2014 when the poll was last conducted, Kaepernick was only ‘disliked a lot’ by 6% of those surveyed.” Yomtov concluded much of the change on how Kaepernick is perceived is based on race because the survey found that among African-Americans 42% said they like Kaepernick ‘a lot’ while only 2% dislike him ‘a lot.’ However, among white respondents 37% were found to dislike the quarterback ‘a lot’ (Yomtov, 2016).