The largest controversy surrounding the National Football League this season has been the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, kneeling during the national anthem.  Recently, Kaepernick has been promoted from back up to starting quarterback for the 49ers, which is only putting a bigger spotlight on every move he makes.  The quarterback is usually the centerpiece of a football team, and Colin Kaepernick is now the face of the San Francisco 49ers franchise.

An image taken during the playing of the national anthem in the first game of the season captured Kaepernick and teammate, Eric Reid, kneeling in the background.  In the foreground, three US Army servicemen are holding an American flag spanning the entirety of the field.  The image alone is extremely controversial, but it relays a strong message that Kaepernick is trying to send.  The 49ers quarterback spoke to the media about his motive for his actions, and he said that he will not stand for the national anthem when African Americans are being oppressed in the United States.  He also stated, “It would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”

There are two sides to this issue, and there are two sides to the photograph.  The public has either agreed with Kaepernick’s actions and what he is fighting for, or they have viewed him as disrespectful and believe that he should stand up for his country’s national anthem.  Relating to the image, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, who are in the background, represent those who support the 49ers players’ motives.  The servicemen and women in the foreground represent those who stand for the United States because they have volunteered to fight for and represent their country.  The photographer also captured the division of values, ideas, and people’s position on controversial social issues in the United States.  The photo’s connotation depends on the viewer’s opinion on the issue.  Someone can either see the image as a contradiction to Kaepernick’s motive, or as an image that depicts Kaepernick’s bravery to fight for something he believes in.  So, the image’s implication is purely opinionated, very popular, and widely controversial.

Kaepernick’s surroundings are very hostile because he is not only kneeling for his country’s national anthem in the presence of those who give their lives for their country, but he is encapsulated by American symbols.  Although it is not pictured, every NFL helmet has an American Flag on it, the ground Kaepernick is kneeling on is American soil, and there is an American flag directly in front of him which spans an entire football field.  To bring the issue to a smaller scale, the city of San Francisco did not think much of Colin Kaepernick before this issue solely for football reasons, but once he took a knee for the first time he received what could be said as the epitome of ‘mixed feedback’: Kaepernick’s jersey sales rose to number one in the NFL, but he also stated that he received death threats regarding his actions.  In an interview with ESPN, Kaepernick said, “My protest is not meant to denigrate the police, military, or the country, but rather to bring attention to what I see as failings in the United States.” (ESPN.com) Although Kaepernick says he means no harm or disrespect to law enforcement, the military, or to the United States; it is hard to grasp his statement.  Many people believe that no matter what Colin Kaepernick’s motives are, it is impossible to not take offense from his actions.  Veterans of the United States military also have mixed feedback: some have stated that they are happy to see the 49ers quarterback make the most of his First Amendment right, but those ‘on the other side of the fence’ state that his refusal to stand is purely disrespectful to those who gave their lives for their country.  

In the San Francisco 49ers pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers, Colin Kaepernick sat down for his country’s national anthem.  This was the first sighting of the 49ers quarterback protesting the national anthem, and it could only have been seen as insolent.  Fast forward one week to September 1, and the 49ers face off against the San Diego Chargers and all eyes were on Kaepernick.  The media speculation had been surrounding him all week, locker room interviews, press conferences, and his image was on every sports broadcasting network, not to mention his story being the headline on national news.  Kaepernick took a knee this time, and that was when this controversial image was taken.  People spoke out on social media, and analysts on television stated that he could not have chosen a worse place to kneel during the national anthem. The analysts questioned his motives for taking a knee behind three servicemen, and to say it was a ‘bad rep’ for Kaepernick is an understatement.  The photograph encapsulated American freedom at its finest, because frankly, he could not have taken the same actions in any other country in the world.

The image of Colin Kaepernick captured the great divide of human opinion and racial tension in one frame.  Kaepernick is looking off into the distance, whether this is to avoid the cameras, or if it is signifying his search for change in the United States.  One thing can be said, something must change; whether it is Kaepernick’s protests, or the social issue that he is fighting for.

