Colin Kaepernick
A Story Distorted by the Media
Thesis
Kaepernick’s goal in instigating this protest is to raise awareness or start a conversation about racial injustice and police brutality. Although his protest is nonviolent and virtually harmless, Kaepernick has incited disagreement and conflict from millions of Americans who oppose his motives or method of protest. In addition, the contribution from various media sources have drawn the attention of their audiences to the superficial aspects of Kaepernick himself, such as his background, his qualification to protest, or his presence as a celebrity. This takes away from the message itself, and instead distracts audiences so the issue at hand is disregarded due to the fact that the superficial issues presented by the media are generally easier to discuss than the controversial topics being protested. We will support this stance by contrasting Kaepernick’s motives and words against the dramatized media coverage of his protest and background.
Black Lives Matter
Social Media
News Coverage
Background
Videos
Non-Traditional Media
On August 26, 2016, Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, decided that it was time to take a stand for his beliefs of racial oppression in the United States by refusing to stand for the national anthem in a preseason football game. Learn more about Kaepernick's journey from humble beginnings, to NFL stardom, to public icon.
Who is Colin Kaepernick?
Why is he protesting?
Colin Kaepernick has several times mentioned his interest and involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement and even once mentioned that the first million dollars he made this year would be donated to the movement’s causes. Learn more about a movement that is much larger than Kaepernick and why it has brought him to a knee.
The media of a movement
As soon as news surfaced about Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during an NFL preseason game, many people had reactions and were in need of an outlet for these thoughts. Learn more about the role social media sites like Twitter and Instagram played in both driving and limiting Kaepernick’s protest.
In the months following Kaepernick’s initial protest, he’s always been in the news for one reason or another. From kneeling to supporting Fidel Castro, television news networks like CNN, NFL Network, and ESPN have weighed in on Colin Kaepernick. Learn more about how broadcast media has portrayed Kaepernick and how he has defended himself against false perceptions of his opinions when interacting with the media.
The power of persuasion
​The use of rhetoric during the Colin Kaepernick protest, from both Kaepernick and various stakeholders, have influenced the public perception of Kaepernick’s actions. Learn more about the strategies used by Kaepernick, stakeholders, and the media have used to change the conversation surrounding the Kaepernick controversy.
Traditional news and social media are not the only outlets used to express opinions about Kaepernick. Unconventional media like political cartoons and merchandise often reflect bias and irony surrounding the controversy. Read about examples of non-traditional media involving Kaepernick’s movement here.
Results
Where are we now?
The repercussions of Colin Kaepernick’s simple action are spread far and wide, affecting most people in the US, whether they know it or not. In this concluding section, learn more about the broad impact of both Kaepernick’s actions and the media’s coverage of the protest.
Conclusion
While we believe that Colin Kaepernick’s original motives of protest were truly centered on the issues of racial oppression and police brutality seen around him, people are easily being drawn to simpler issues surrounding his protest. Instead of focusing on the difficult and original topic of his protest, people are reacting to instances such as his failure to vote in the 2016 election, his comments on Fidel Castro, his mistakes in protesting, and how the media covers the issue. For the most part, Kaepernick has executed his protest in an effective and nonviolent manner, but as a result of society’s tendency to avoid difficult issues, the core of the protest itself has been distorted so that media consumers are more likely to see the superficial and frivolous features.
A distorted message
Throughout the Colin Kaepernick issue of racial injustice, the media has continually dramatized and compared the protests in such a way that the audience is drawn away from the meaning of the protest. Instead, they are enthused by the fame of Kaepernick, suggesting that his protest is for personal fame. This section, divided into four parts, looks into the role of mainstream media in distorting Kaepernick’s protest.
Image courtesy of Saturdaystars. “Saturdaystars.” The College Football Blog, 27 Feb. 2013, saturdaystars.tumblr.com/post/44118220180/colin-kaepernick-nevada-wolfpack.
Image courtesy of Rooney, Kyle. “Colin Kaepernick Explains Why He Refused To Stand Up For The National Anthem.” HotNewHipHop, 27 Aug. 2016, www.hotnewhiphop.com/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-refused-to-stand-up-for-the-national-anthem-news.23746.html.
Image courtesy of twitter.com/Kaepernick7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor.
Image courtesy of Clayton, Andy, and Reuven Blau. “Colin Kaepernick Will Continue Sitting during National Anthem.” NY Daily News, 28 Aug. 2016, www.nydailynews.com/sports/colin-kaepernick-continue-sitting-national-anthem-article-1.2769196.
Image courtesy of Quinn, Liam. “San Francisco 49ers REFUSE to Cut Kaepernick: Quarterback Makes Final Roster despite Cops' Threat to Stop Policing Games If He Continues Protest.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 3 Sept. 2016, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3772638/San-Francisco-49ers-Colin-Kaepernick-53-man-squad-season.html.
Davies, Matt. "America's Not Great." Newsday, 2016. http://projects.newsday.com/cartoons/opinion/matt-davies-political-cartoons/?fb_ref=Default#!/item/1413/americas-not-great
Image courtesy of “Kaepernick Shrugs off Fan Criticism, Threatening T-Shirts.” ProFootballTalk, profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/10/16/kaepernick-shrugs-off-fan-criticism-threatening-t-shirts/.
Background courtesy of Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Logo courtesy of Imgur. “New UK Logo - New Kentucky Logo.” Imgur, 16 Dec. 2015, imgur.com/gallery/n5FOAgq.
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