Speaking of... Race

Recently I sponsored an open campus discussion about race. More specifically, it was about Colin Kaepernick, race, the national anthem, and sports. It is an interesting and fascinating topic. Unfortunately, any discussion about this means we are not discussing the original issues: police brutality, disparities in the legal system, and inequitable social structures in education, housing, and schools.

Case in point, Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles is focusing his energy on bail reform. Who knew? Well, not me. It is a difficult and gritty topic. Many of these topics are. And they aren't really accessible to many of us. But we have all likely been to sporting events and absentmindedly stood up during the presentation of the national anthem. It is more habit than tradition.

That said (and acknowledged), the discussion, with heavy support and promotion from the Black Student Union had promise. Indeed, we had wonderful discussions throughout the event. Using continuum exercises ("if you feel this way go to the left, if you feel this way go to the right, or somewhere in-between"). While there was some nuanced disagreement, many at the event felt similarly. But we acknowledged early that we were an "echo chamber" of opinions, mostly agreeing to agree.

We used some of the wonderful Shannon Sharpe piece as a springboard to discussion. It is certainly worth a watch at just under ten minutes. In it, he calls out NFL owners for only paying attention when President Trump attacked their brand. Another video that has gone viral, but that we didn't discuss, is an opinion piece by Dale Hansen. Additionally, people in the discussion cited some of the history of this issue, which is not really a new one.

While free speech and the first amendment have been discussed as key issues with the protests, they really aren't. As a private league, the NFL and its privately owned teams, can set their rules for decorum. This of course clashes with the notion that anyone has a right stifle another's voice. The first amendment is very specific to government not being able to squelch dissent. In the NFL there are issues related to collective bargaining and rules, not really free speech. In our discussion we pondered what would happen if a Trinity football player would take a knee. What if a coach did? Or a dean? What many athletes have done is to show unity with their teammates by locking arms. This is a way to express their ideas: We stand with you, but we aren't taking a knee...

Amid the many excellent commentaries on the topic is another excellent piece is from former NFL player Marvin Washington. In it, he articulates that the issue isn't about patriotism, but is a "distress signal." And this really encapsulated our discussion well. Why do we begin sporting events with the national anthem and not say plays or films in the theater? If it is supposed to be unifying as some might contend, it isn't, as many feel shut out by the promise of the American dream because of institutionalized and accepted racism.

Digging deeper, and most interesting, was the discussion about "sticking to sports" and what that means. On the surface it seems logical: musicians, movie stars, and athletes should entertain us, but not share their political, religious, and social beliefs. Never mind that we crave personal information on our celebrities. And no one complained when J.J. Watt used his platform for hurricane relief. In my favorite piece on this the author states that what people are really saying is "I disagree with you, so shut up." My favorite songwriter, Jackson Browne, regularly hears from critics about his political music as not being as personal as his romantic ballads. He defends this, stating that nothing is more personal than politics. (I totally agree, but his music ballads really are better artistically!)

Last year I wrote a piece about our conservative students and how they have added to the dialog on campus. Some pushed back because they disagree with those students and aren't thrilled with some of their tactics. True, they sometimes seem to see discussion as sport, to be won or lost, rather than as a means to better understanding. And sometimes they don't play at all, or don't play nice when they do. But we could have used them in this discussion. Because without them to have a back-and-forth participants weren't stretched, or pressed, or challenged.

Getting students from the middle to engage is probably the biggest challenge. Many, I would guess, support social justice, the flag, the military, and the song. But without them at the table, the discussions don't go very deep. These talks then, are satisfying but, not rewarding.

As I think about the next discussion, I consider topics that will bring people out, that will engage them in discussion, that will allow for real learning and understanding. (I would love to hear comments here for ideas.) But one thing I know, this isn't the time for anyone to take a knee. As Malcolm Jenkins knows, it's more complicated than that.