Analysis Of Colin Kaepernick's Speech

1544 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Compare and contrast booker t washington and W.E.B. du bois viewed african-americans

Roughly a month ago, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, elected to not stand during the playing of the national anthem. For those who may be unaware, that is an unprecedented action in the National Football League. At first, nobody really noticed, but after repeating his actions in the successive weeks, social media exploded with all sorts of opinions on the situation. With the spotlight suddenly glaring on him, in a series of statements and interviews, Kaepernick explained that he refused to stand up during the national anthem and show pride in a country that oppresses people of color, especially blacks. Fellow athletes across the nation joined him in various ways to show solidarity, and were met with both tremendous …show more content…

The first condition necessary to create and promote this system of white superiority was a lack of education amongst blacks. Many blacks thus supported Booker T. Washington’s mentality, one that promoted passive acquiescence to white power by learning basic skills such as reading and writing, and then attending vocational schools. In Washington’s own words, delivered at the 1895 Atlanta Exposition Address, “Cast down your bucket where you are… No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem. It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top” (Washington 219-220). It seems absurd for Washington to claim that blacks needed to begin at the bottom of life, when they had always been at the bottom of life in America. Although his view was widely accepted, it was antithetical and full of pitfalls compared to that proposed by the supremely educated scholar W.E.B. …show more content…

However, because of the continued and systematic marginalization of black people in the United States, many find themselves in a similar dispute that Washington and Du Bois were arguing over; what’s better, to forgo education or forgo menial financial stability. But, white people haven’t been living in that system, nor are they taught about it, therefore they don’t understand it. This has given way to a domination of implicit racism and subconscious stereotypes, which circles back to the Kaepernick situation. Many people view Kaepernick’s actions as disrespectful and egregious because they don’t understand the plight of black people. Furthermore, it seems that the faction who oppose Kaepernick are unable to realize that it’s possible to simultaneously love the United States and acknowledge that there are tremendous problems here. My father was a first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11, and my grandfather was in the military, yet I still support Colin Kaepernick. I do, not because I don’t have a tremendous respect for the service men and women of our country, but because I understand that the veil is still alive and controlling our society. Although Du Bois would be detested with the current state of racial relations in the United States, he would support people like myself who strive to live in an America that

Show More
Related

  • Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. Dubois

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    To begin with, the legendary Booker T. Washington believed that in order for blacks to gain equality in the United States, we need to peacefully “make friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded” (Broesamle & Arthur, 52). Washington warned blacks that in order to earn the respect and equality from the white population, we must be prepared to start at the bottom. He meant starting at the bottom in jobs such as elementary teachers instead of college professors and manual laborers instead of CEO’s so we could earn the respect of whites. Washington knew that making strong demands wouldn’t get the black race anywhere, so “casting down our buckets” and becoming friends and earning the respect of whites seemed like a better

    Read More

  • Ida B. Wells, Booker T, Washington, and W.E.B Dubois

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    Booker T. Washington was an African American leader who established an African-American college in 1181. Then in 1895 delivered the Atlanta Compromise Speech to an audience of mainly Southerners, but some Northerners were present. In his speech he made a few points. He said, “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” Washington believed that the African American race needed to learn first that manual labor was just as important as the work of intellects. He thought that until they learned this they were not worthy of becoming intellects themselves. The color line is thus important in teaching them this lesson. He also said, “It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges.” His opinion was that one day blacks would deserve to have equal rights with the whites, but right now in 1895 the blacks needed to be...

    Read More

  • Booker T Washington And Du Bois Analysis

    1372 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his speech, Washington addresses both whites and blacks. “I would say cast down your bucket where you are, cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded.” (Washington, Atlanta Compromise, pg.2). This quote is a good indicator of Washington’s ideology on black progression in American society. Essentially, the quote is addressing African-Americans to try and make the best of their situation because their situation is much better than what it would have been thirty to forty years prior. Throughout the speech, Washington maintains this tone of “compromise”. “It is at the bottom of life we must begin and not the top. Nor should we permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities.” (Washington, Atlanta Compromise, pg.2). Washington argues for this workman-like approach from African-Americans throughout the speech and this quote embodies that. Washington comes from a background of slavery and makes reference to this in his speech as well. Even though the system at the time was still largely geared against African-Americans, Washington advocates for blacks to work with what they have and be grateful for opportunities

    Read More

  • Of the Coming of John by W.E.B. Du Bois

    2251 Words  | 5 Pages

    Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were very important African American leaders in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They both felt strongly that African Americans should not be treated unequally in terms of education and civil rights. They had strong beliefs that education was important for the African American community and stressed that educating African Americans would lead them into obtaining government positions, possibly resulting in social change. Although Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois had similar goals to achieve racial equality in the United States, they had strongly opposing approaches in improving the lives of the black population. Washington was a conservative activist who felt that the subordination to white leaders was crucial for African Americans in becoming successful and gaining political power. On the other hand, Du Bois took a radical approach and voiced his opinion through public literature and protest, making it clear that racial discrimination and segregation were intolerable. The opposing ideas of these African American leaders are illustrated in Du Bois’ short story, “Of the Coming of John”, where Du Bois implies his opposition to Washington’s ideas. He shows that the subordination of educated black individuals does not result in gaining respect or equality from the white community. In fact, he suggests that subordination would lead the black community to be further oppressed by whites. However contrasting their views might have been, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were significant influential black leaders of their time, who changed the role of the black community in America.

    Read More

  • Kaepernick's Kneel: Patriotism and Social Equality

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    Henry Gass states, “The prospect of athletes speaking up has always been fraught” (2). Carl Stoffers states, “Many accused [Kaepernick] of thumbing his nose at America by not joining in a patriotic ritual that’s long been a fixture at sporting events” (8). Include the fact that the NFL which Kaepernick plays “[is] a league that promotes itself as a war game and brands itself with the flag” (Jenkins). Doubters are quick to label him unpatriotic because the place and time he protested might be wrong. The NFL show respect to military officials, Roger Goodell says, “The NFL believes very strongly in patriotism” (Jenkins). The military and American football has the same symbolic values. Carl Stoffers writes Starn says “[American is] the most sports-obsessed society in the history of the world, and we’re also a nation that’s obsessed with patriotism and pride in identity” (9). The national Anthem and the flag are symbols that American people believe make someone patriotic. Professor Blackistone writes, “[Kaepernick] dare to protest in the athletic arena, where [Americans] wrap sporting events in a prophylactic of patriotism used to demand political conformity and suppress discourse” (gtd. in

    Read More

  • Booker T. Washington

    2315 Words  | 5 Pages

    Booker T. Washington was one of the most well-known African American educators of all time. Lessons from his life recordings and novelistic writings are still being talked and learned about today. His ideas of the accommodation of the Negro people and the instillation of a good work ethic into every student are opposed, though, by some well-known critics of both past and current times. They state their cases by claiming the Negro’s should not have stayed quiet and worked their way to wear they did, they should have demanded equal treatment from the southern whites and claimed what was previously promised to them. Also, they state that Washington did not really care about equality or respect, but about a status boost in his own life. Both arguments presented by Washington and his critics are equally valid when looked at in context, but When Mr. Booker gave his speech at the Atlanta Acquisition, he was more-so correct in his belief of accommodation. His opinions concerning that hard work achieved success and respect and that demanding requests does not give immediate results were more rational, practical, and realistic than others outcries of immediate gratification and popularity contests.

    Read More

  • Booker T Washington Analysis

    1531 Words  | 4 Pages

    Booker T. Washington believed in political and social economic acceptance of passive and self-improvement rather than demanding the rights that were given to white male counterparts. This examination of the how Booker T. Washington’s political and social acceptance changed not only the landscape of African American history while setting a mentality that continues even in the twenty-first century. The ideal agreement would be Southern blacks would work under white political rule, while Southern whites guaranteed that blacks would receive basic tutelage and due process of the law. Dr. Washington believed

    Read More

  • Robin Mather's Article: The Threats From Genetically Modified Food

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    Considering an argument as valid requires critical analysis of several aspects and providing strong evidence. Robin Mather, a journalist who “has passion for food and its sources, has worked at major metropolitan newspapers (the Detroit News, the Chicago Tribune)”(86), argues that GMOs have risks and hazards to human health and threats to wildlife and environment in her article “The Threats from Genetically Modified Foods”, whereas Entine, a colleague at the Genetic Literacy Project, and Wendel, a science writer(82), claim that GMOs are safe to eat and no harm to people or animals in their article “2000+Reasons Why GMOs are Safe to Eat and Environmentally Sustainable” Both articles’ authors state their ideas clearly for whether GMOs could be eaten or not. However,  Mather provides more solid

    Read More

  • Genetic Engineering Essay

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a feeble attempt to cure world hunger scientists developed GMOs, or 'genetically-modified organisms', which are genetically enhanced crop plants created for human consumption, and although GMOs were initially designed to benefit the world, it appears as though they are doing as much harm as they are good. Originally, GMOs were designed to c...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Washington And W. E. B. Dubois

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    “It should come as no surprise that Washington’s historical conflict culminated as a struggle between him and DuBois” (Gibson III 66). To say the least, both men were very active in the upbringing of African-Americans, but their differences in displaying out the solution was what brought them apart. Washington wanted the education system to enforce industrial teachings that started at lower economic power, while DuBois had more abstract ideas of equality and voting for African-Americans. Washington was conservative in the matter of African-American inclusion into society, hoping that given enough time and progress, people would learn to accept them, rather than fight for social power like what DuBois stood for. Despite Washington’s program that appealed to White-Americans, he was involved in politics and spoke about the disfranchisement of African-Americans.

    Read More

  • W.E.B Du Bois vs. Booker T Washington

    2086 Words  | 5 Pages

    When talking about the history of African-Americans at the turn of the twentieth century, two notable names cannot be left out; Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois. They were both African-American leaders in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, fighting for social justice, education and civil rights for slaves, and both stressed education. This was a time when blacks were segregated and discriminated against. Both these men had a vision to free blacks from this oppression. While they came from different backgrounds, Washington coming from a plantation in Virginia where he was a slave, and Du Bois coming from a free home in Massachusetts, they both experienced the heavy oppression blacks were under in this Post-Civil War society. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois were both pioneers in striving to obtain equality for blacks, yet their ways of achieving this equality were completely different. W.E.B Du Bois is the more celebrated figure today since he had the better method because it didn’t give the whites any power, and his method was intended to achieve a more noble goal than Washington’s.

    Read More

  • Booker T Washington Speech Analysis

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    Of the many truly inspirational speeches given by African Americans, Booker T. Washington’s The Atlanta Exposition Address is one of the few that intends to achieve compromise. In his speech, Washington is trying to persuade an audience composed significantly of white men to support African Americans by granting them jobs and presenting them with opportunities. His goal is to convince his white audience that African Americans will be supplied with jobs lower than those of white men, allowing white men always to be on top. Booker T. Washington’s The Atlanta Exposition Address adopts a tone of acquiescence and compromise to persuade a predominantly white audience to accept his terms.

    Read More

  • Of Booker T Washington And Others Summary

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1903 black leader and intellectual W.E.B. Du Bois wrote an essay in his collection The Souls of Black Folk with the title “Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others.” Both Washington and Du Bois were leaders of the black community in the 19th and 20th century, even though they both wanted to see the same outcome for black Americans, they disagreed on strategies to help achieve black social and economic progress. History shows that W.E.B Du Bois was correct in racial equality would only be achieved through politics and higher education of the African American youth.

    Read More

  • Gmo Persuasive Speech

    1022 Words  | 3 Pages

    How many of you hear the words “genetically modified food” and immediately think “BAD”? How many of you scorn the idea that genetically modified foods are useful? How many of you have been manipulated by the media to think that all biotechnology is evil? Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have been genetically spliced to achieve a certain trait. As the demand for a larger food supply is increasing due to population growth, the benefits that GMO foods provide are being hailed as the only solution to the food crisis. However, many people are making inadequately informed decisions, and are pushing them to the back shelf. I will inform you on why genetically modified organisms may be the only way to a stable, safe future for the less fortunate.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons: The Benefits Of Genetically Modified Foods

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    The debate over whether to keep the production genetically modified organisms, or to cease it all together. They help many countries around the world with low food sources, due to climate and other hindrances. With GMO’s aiding countries in need, it will have a helping hand for the availability of more food. These crops and livestock promote ideal solutions to nutrition, world hunger and the environment. With all that being said, GMO foods are one of the most frowned upon food sources in the world. We asked the question “How Does the Ever-Increasing Need for GMO’s affect the Food Industry in the States, and Abroad?” And what are some of the pros, cons, and ways of containment of GMO’s?

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Colin Kaepernick's Speech

Open Document