Kneeling does not promote equality

The problem with taking a knee is that it has proved to spark more controversy than the actual issue of police brutality while simultaneously drawing attention away from the actual issue at hand. Instead of discussing ways to stop police violence, or the extent to which police violence existed in America, the #TakeAKnee hashtag on Twitter consisted almost entirely of people arguing back and forth over whether or not it was justified for Kaepernick to take a knee. The time, effort, and energy could have been much better spent on the issue itself, instead of someone’s controversial method of protest, and in this way taking a knee has harmed the equality movement more than it has helped. Additionally, it has also divided the sport of football itself. After Kaepernick took a knee, the police union in Santa Clara refused to provide security for the 49ers’ games, causing potential danger to the fans and the other players on Kaepernick’s team.^[1] Angry fans who believed that Kaepernick had been selfish and disrespectful burned their Jerseys and stopped following the 49ers because of Kaepernick’s actions. Before he is an activist, Kaepernick is an athlete. It is his responsibility to make sure that his teams can play games properly and that his fans are happy with his performance.^[2] To kneel in front of the flag on national television in a sports arena was irresponsible.

[P1] Taking a knee distracted attention away from the issue of police brutality. [P2] Kaepernick shouldn't have taken a knee because it was his job as an athlete to play sports, not to be an activist at work.