09 April 2018
National Football league
147 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10023
Dear National Football League,
My name is Cameron Cosby, and I currently attend Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I have a bachelor’s degree in business management. I am currently attending school for sports management. I am writing to you in regard to the open ownership position of the Philadelphia Eagles. Football has always been a strong interest to me since I was 4 years of age. I continued to play football through the college level, where I suffered a series of concussions. Although football is my first love, I had to give serious thought to my health. The sport is still on my mind each and every day, which is why I want to be the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles.
I believe that I am well qualified for this position for many reasons. I have the knowledge to make an impact on a team right away and I know that I can lead this team to success. Many owners come in to a business just to make large amounts of money for themselves. However, I have a different mindset. Showing players that they are my top concern will be my priority. I truly believe that by showing your employees that you care about them will produce a better product. By standing up for their safety and civil rights, the players will feel appreciated.
The NFL has received tremendous attention because of the players using their 1st amendment rights by kneeling during the national anthem. Because of fan pressure, many of the owners are threatening to terminate or trade players from the team that choose to participate in the kneeling. However, I will give all players a chance to play for a team that will respect their rights. As a former player, I always wanted to feel welcomed and respected to play for a team. As an owner, I want to provide an environment that will give our players that level of comfort.
I believe that players can kneel if they decide to do so, however they need to come to play hard and try to win every game. I find it complete nonsense to bench or trade away talent that can bring in wins to a team. We can not continue to live in a world where racism is being displayed daily. I will treat everyone fairly no matter the color of their skin. My main goal as an owner is to produce a wonderful product that will bring excitement to the fans. Football is known as “America’s Sport”. As an owner, I want to provide an atmosphere of what America is built on. The opportunity for freedom and success.
Sincerely,
Cameron Cosby
Cameron Cosby
Professor Sloggie-Pierce
English 211C
09 April 2018
Kneeling for Freedom
Introduction and Background
The popularity of the NFL reached highs and lows within the media during the past year. The games are always competitive and exciting to see, but the main topic is focused on the protest by the players. Many within our communities and the media have been upset with the players that decided to use our National Anthem as a platform to protest. The 1st amendment allows us to have freedom of speech. Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco Forty Niners decided to use his 1st amendment right to speak up against police brutality toward blacks.His protest would take place during the playing of the National Anthem. Kaepernick would do this by taking a knee versus standing while the Anthem plays. Many citizens, including President Trump, strongly believe that the behavior of these players are unacceptable. Exercising this right during the beginning of a game spoke volumes. Negative press was not necessarily bad press. Even though the message was being distorted, our players were being heard. Unfortunately, players across the league are being punished for their actions which is unacceptable in some viewpoints..
Literature Review
Many United States citizens’ opinions differ from the NFL player Kaepernick. United States citizen, Matt Server, explained that the national anthem is more than a song that we listen to. The national anthem is a song that should be given full respect while being played. Matt believes that kneeling is not helping the country as a whole (Server). The action that these players are taking on the field is tearing our country apart even more due to the different opinions and the intense anger it has caused.(Server)
Many players have gave support to this issue due to the violent behavior the police have been giving us. Michael Brown was a 18 boy that lived in Furgurson, where he was shot and killed by a police officer due to him being a suspect in a armed robbery. (Onyemaobim) The police shot a total of twelve bullets at Brown, which only 6 hit the target. (Onyemaobim) This shooting received a lot of attention from the country as a whole.(Onyemaobim) It started rallies and protest to receive justice for the killing of Michael. This was a big reason why players decided to kneel in today’s game.
Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid have made a huge impact on media due to their protest. However, many individuals believe that their act is disrespectful to the nation. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has spoken on this controversial topic in attempt to bring it to an end. Trump believes that they are showing disrespect to the flag and that the National Football League should get involved. When the protest began, the NFL believed that they did not have to get involved with players speaking their mind on their issue. President Trump expressed his anger toward the decision of the NFL. Trump was quoted saying, “Can you believe the disrespect for our country, our flag, our anthem continues without penalty to the players. The Commissioner has lost control of the hemorrhaging league. Players are the boss!” (Trump).
Donald Trump has gained support on this specific topic from many citizens that have fought for our country in the armed forces. Many citizens that live outside the military base called Wright-Patterson believe that the NFL protest is a “slap in the face”(Kilpatrick). Many refuse to watch the football games as a result of the protest. One army veteran stated,” I find it very disrespectful. We’ve got G.I.’s dying to protect this country… I think it’s so revolting. I don’t even watch the NFL anymore. I quit watching,” (Kilpatrick).
Fans on both sides have voiced their perspectives on the protest. This year the overall ratings for NFL games went down drastically, but the NFL remains the strongest supported sport in the United States. Papa Johns, the pizza chain of the NFL, decided to take a side on this issue. (Blackmon) That was not a smart decision. The backlash resulted in the CEO of Papa John’s changing roles within the company.(Blackmon) The company apologized for their actions and had to face a drop in sales in their business. At the end of the season, Papa Johns and the NFL ended their partnership. (Blackmon)
Discussion
Over the past year, sports have been a topic of discussion in many homes. The conversations have not been about winning and losing, but an action performed by players before the game starts. Many players like Kaepernick feel that a country that does not stand against racism does not deserve a black man’s respect. Joshua Berlinger explained that a black man named Alton Sterling was standing outside of a food market where he was selling CD’s to the public. (Berlinger) The police responded to a call that Sterling had threatened an individual with a gun. However, when police got to the scene they shot Sterling multiple time to the chest assuming he was reaching for a weapon. (Berlinger)
The actions that these officers took made Eric Reid realize that African Americans are not being treated equally. Eric wanted to make a difference but he did not know how until he saw what his teammate Kaepernick was doing. When Kaepernick first started to protest in the NFL, he did not receive the recognition from the media or even his teammate Eric. (Reid) Eric explained that it was not until the third preseason that the media and he himself realized the good in what Kaepernick was doing. Eric then spoke to Kaepernick on possible way that he could stand for equal rights as well. (Reid) Reid read a scripture from the bible that states, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (Reid) This is when he realized that he had to make a difference. They then came to the conclusion that they would kneel together during the national anthem. (Reid).Players across the league noticed what Reid and Kaepernick were doing.
Blacks have been fighting for equality for many years. Law enforcement continues to profile and treat them differently. Colin Kaepernick jeopardized his NFL career to speak on something he feels is a problem in our society. He is one of thirty-two starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Due to his bravery, many have praised him, though others have demonized him. His jersey sales increased and he became well known throughout many households. Multiple media sources refuse to report on the real issue. They would rather side with President Trump who refuses to acknowledge the systemic problem. Our country is divided, more so now than ever before. We have a president that loves controversy. He only supports Americans that support him.
Donald Trump has decided to take the low road on this discussion. President Trump has refused to acknowledge that police brutality within the black community is a growing problem. It’s crazy to see that millionaires would jeopardize their careers to bring attention to a growing problem. Kaepernick stated, “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. (Wyche) Many black families and friends have undergone racism in some sort through their life span. Chantal Silva stated,”black people are three times more likely to be killed by the police in United States.” (Silva) These NFL players that we continue to see kneeling or sitting doing the National Anthem are asking our government silently that we want a change.
President Donald Trump has cursed and threatened players that have chosen to exercise their freedom of speech. He has been heard repeatedly calling the players “sons of bitches” and other ridiculous names due to their protest (@realdonaldtrump). However, the Constitution of the United States says”, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press” (Constitution of the United States 1789). Trump did not make a law to bring an end to the protest. However, he is trying to overcome the constitution and bring an end to “Freedom of Speech” in the NFL by insulting the players and owners in the league. Where many presidents would try to unite, Trump has decided to divide. Controversial statements have kept him in news and speaking out against black players has kept Trump popular among his followers. Colin Kaepernick explained that he did not want to stand for a flag that did not respect him or others. (Wyche) Every individual that kneels during the national anthem is taking a stand toward creating change. Players need to continue to kneel for their freedom.
Conclusion
On Sunday, March 25th, Stephon Clark was standing in the backyard of his grandparents’ house when he was confronted by two police officers.(Winston) When he decided to run away, the two officers fired their weapons at him more than 20 times.(Winston) The officers claimed that they thought he had a weapon. It was later reported that he was only carrying his cell phone. This incident occurred in Sacramento, California. These incidents are not limited to one particular area of our country. (Winston) No matter where you live, just being black makes you vulnerable to being victimized by our police. It seems as if everyday there is a new story in the news of the same old content. Young, innocent men are constantly being murdered and officers are allowed to walk free. Incidents involving police shootings of black men multiplies, but public acknowledgement of the problem remains stagnant. Kaepernick is a hero within the black community.
Martin Luther King stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” (King) Many black families pray for this every day. This quote is important to what is occurring in the NFL today due to the treatment toward blacks by the police officers. Blacks are still being treated differently when it comes to being pulled over by the police. We continue to have young black teens being killed over false assumptions made by police officers.
The NFL players are kneeling for their freedom, which seems to be in jeopardy every time we hear or see an individual gunned down by an officer. Many believe that the protest is justifiable since we are at a time where police brutality remains front and center in social media. Using the national anthem, which symbolizes the battles where many soldiers died to raise our flag, as a tool of protest became an insult to many. No matter which side you favor, we live in a country where standing for and voicing your beliefs is a right of all of our citizens.
Work Cited
Berlinger, Joshua, and Nick Valencia. “Alton Sterling Shooting: Homeless Man Made 911 Call,
Source Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 8 July 2016
Blackmon, Michael. “Papa John’s CEO Is Out After Saying Kneeling NFL Players Hurt Pizza
Sales.” BuzzFeed, 21 Dec. 2017
Onyemaobim, Ikedi, George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal. Spring 2016, Vol. 26
Issue 2, p157-182. 26p.
Kilpatrick, cleveland.com Mary. “Military Community Finds NFL Protests during Anthem
Disrespectful: Ohio Matters.” Cleveland.com, Cleveland.com, 17 Oct. 2017
King, Martin L., Jr. “I Have a Dream.” Speech. Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D. C. 28 Aug.
196
Reid, Eric. “Eric Reid: Why Colin Kaepernick and I Decided to Take a Knee.” The New York
Times, 25 Sept. 2017
Server, Matt. “COUNTERPOINT: Kneeling during the National Anthem Is the Wrong Way to
Protest.” The Daily Nebraskan, 7 Oct. 2017
Silva, Chantal Da. “Police Shootings in the U.S. Have a Direct Link to Structural Racism in
States, a Groundbreaking Study Has Found.” Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2018
Winton, Richard, et al. “Stephon Clark Shooting: How Police Opened Fire on an Unarmed
Black Man Holding a Cellphone.” Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2018
Wyche, Steve. “Colin Kaepernick Explains Why He Sat during National Anthem.” NFL.com, 27
Aug. 2016
@therealdonaldtrump.”Can you believe that the disrespect for our Country, our Flag, our
Anthem continues without penalty to the players. The Commissioner has lost control of
the hemorrhaging league. Players are the boss!”twitter, 24 Nov, 2017, 3:48am