The Washington Football Team Needs to Take More Than A Knee

As an Indigenous (Native American) person, I take issue with the Washington team owner Dan Snyder supporting the Take A Knee movement because of everything his franchise represents.

On Sunday evening, Washington team owner Dan Snyder locked arms with his players, joining the movement and attempting to show solidarity. The Washington team also issued a statement prior to the game, which acknowledged how football unifies people and how the “Washington R*dsk*ns will work to address divisions and bring unity, civility and respect to our greater community.”

Colin Kaepernick’s stance to Take a Knee during the national anthem inspired many sports players to take a knee to show solidarity to real and pressing issues related to police brutality toward Black people. The need to take a knee seemed to amplify after the President Trump encouraged NFL owners to oust players who take a knee, referring to Kaepernick as a “son of a bitch”.

Soon after the nation watched to see who would take a knee and who wouldn’t. Some players preferred to stay in the locker room during the anthem and some chose to stand with their arms locked with other players. There appears to be much stigma attached to actually kneeling. I ask myself and others if half kneeling is really showing solidarity. Are the players and owners attempting to show solidarity or trying to appease all sides especially with the current NFL boycott?