Symbols have power. They hold meaning, and meaning moves us, holds us together or pulls us apart. Take the current dust up regarding Colin Kaepernick, a back-up quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who has been taking a knee during the national anthem. His decision – at first to sit and then to kneel on one knee as a sign of respect for armed service members, while most others in the stadium stand and face the flag with hats removed and hands on hearts – has sparked a controversy.
As an NFL quarterback, Kaepernick is a public figure. As a black man, he has his own perspective on race in America. As a professional athlete who is regularly on TV and who has access to the media, he says that his decision not to stand is not about himself as much as it is about those with no voice and no access to the media.