“The Muhammad Ali Of Today”: Colin Kaepernick

"The Awakening of Colin Kaepernick" is centered around the idea that Colin Kaepernick doesn't want to be in the spotlight. Kaepernick is often seen by some as a traitor to the NFL, the military, or even his own family, while others see him as a hero. In this article, authored by John Branch of the New York Times, Branch discusses the multitude of ways Kaepernick tries his best to stay out of the spotlight or not make a big deal out of big actions.

Kaepernick went to the University of Nevada and was the star of their football team, so when he met with the leader of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, the president, Olumide Ogundimu, didn't believe his verbal application was serious. Kappa Alpha Psi is a notoriously rigorous fraternity centered around studying and analyzing Black History. Kaepernick wanted to join to gain a deeper understanding of his background since he was adopted and was never truly sure of his roots. Being a part of Kappa Alpha Psi requires strenuous hours of rituals, community service, and all-night study sessions. Ogundimu stated that the process will, "shine a light on your weaknesses and...on your strengths," and that Kaepernick, "was all strength," which was proven by the fact that he managed to maintain perfect grades throughout college.

Colin Kaepernick was born into foster care in Milwaukee and was soon adopted by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick. The Kaepernicks already had two biological children, Kyle and Devon, along with two more sons who died of congenital heart defects. Kyle was definitely Colin's biggest supporter. He would make highlight tapes for Colin and would send them to colleges around the country, but Nevada was the only one to give Colin an offer.

Kaepernick was always the star in college, setting NCAA records for most passing and rushing yards, along with most passing and rushing touchdowns in his college career. He was never a fan of the spotlight, but would always willingly speak at press conferences. Kaepernick always had his whole family at every game to cheer him on, and one day when he met an old lady who couldn't afford to buy season tickets due to her husband's passing. Colin personally bought season tickets for her and his family gladly welcomed her to the Colin Kaepernick support group.

Four years after Kaepernick brought the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl, he had sharply declined. The year was 2016 when Colin Kaepernick lost his starting role. All of the sudden, he was a ghost to the media. The first time he protested the National Anthem by sitting on the bench, only one reporter asked him about it. A few weeks preceding this protest, Kaepernick had posted two furious tweets about Alton Sterling's death, and then Philando Castile's. Kaepernick tweeted, "We are under attack! It's clear as day! Less than 24 hrs later another body in the street!" So when Kaepernick was asked by the reporter why he didn't stand for the Anthem, he claimed "I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He continued, "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." Colin Kaepernick's intense implementation of pathos led to split emotions in the media and among fans. Some people have backed Kaepernick's thoughts and strive for change just as he does, while others completely disagree. One of the most common beliefs was that Kaepernick is a washed up quarterback and that his protest is his last chance to make a name for himself. However, this is a misconception due to the fact that he has never been one to like the spotlight, so therefore it wouldn't make sense for him to beg for medial attention. Another misconception is that people claim that his protests are "anti-military," but that also doesn't make sense since Kaepernick previously stated that he has immense amounts of respect for the armed forces, and that he has several friends and family members who have served or are currently serving. Additionally, Kaepernick has also previously argued in favor of increasing benefits for veterans.

As mentioned before, Colin Kaepernick doesn't do big actions in order to promote himself, in fact usually his actions don't go much farther than his website. For example, in September, 2016, Kaepernick came up with an initiative he called the "Million-Dollar Pledge," in which he would donate $100,000 every month to up to four charities of his choice. His first donation was a foundation called "H.O.M.E." which stood for "Helping Oppressed Mothers Endure." They, along with other organizations, initially thought the $25,000 check was a practical joke. Kaepernick then donated to the "I Will Not Die Young Campaign," "Black Veterans for Social Justice," the "Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles," the "Center for Reproductive Rights in New York," "Appetite for Change," and so many more. On top of that, Kaepernick also held three camps for young African American children in Chicago called "Know Your Rights," where he would teach them about what it means to be an African American, along with learning how to deal with controversy.