Over the course of the year, Humanities Core has introduced me to a range of ideas focused on empire, how it has formed and how it has been resisted. Often, our perception of empire stems from our early teachings in middle school. Before I began the course, ancient powers such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome came to mind as potential areas of focus. Yet now after coming across so many forms of imperialistic powers, methods, and beliefs, I see empire in a whole new way. I have become more sensitive to tools of empire and can now see how our own country has and still participates in imperial forms of conquest.
That, of course, is not to say that all facets of empire are bad, in fact, much good and advancement has come out of past powers such as previously mentioned Rome or Greece. They provide models of government and methods of intellectual advancement, that, when used correctly, can form the basis of success and growth. The potential for good in empire can be valuable in providing secure and agreeable means of living, but these this is often overshadowed by the desire for power that can overcome the leaders of such empires. In working to retain absolute control such leaders find ways to oppress those it is supposed to protect. One such method empires choose is to subjugate specific people and form their identity as the “other” in society to create power structure where they are inferior to those in charge. In America, racial hierarchy has been the driving force since the land was first colonized and to
ok new meaning at when the slave trade began in the early seventeenth century.
Although slavery was banned with the emancipation proclamation in 1863 and officially with the thirteenth amendment in 1865, racial oppression and division still haunt our country today. In the 1987 case, McCleskey v. Kemp, the Supreme Court ruled that McCleskey’s death sentence, which was appealed because it was thought to have been harsh and as a result of him being a Black man, did not violate the 8th Amendment. Their statement also suggested that racial bias was an inevitable part of the legal system and American society. This case legitimized racism and formulated a post-civil rights way of continuing to devalue and control minority groups in America.
Now, as those involved in the criminal justice system are beginning to see the remnants of American racism, other sources of racial oppression are beginning to take control of the media. Just this week the NFL and its owner banned national anthem kneeling before games, instead, forcing players to stand or remain in the locker rooms. For those unfamiliar with NFL anthem protests, I encourage reading SB Nation’s timeline of the events leading up to the ban. Before Humanities Core I myself was not heavily invested in what was going on, I could not tell whether the protests were actually methods of expressing disapproval of the racial inequality in America or just a tool to develop some form of loyalty from viewers and team owners.
President Donald Trump has been one of the most vocal critics of the protests calling for teams to “fire or suspend” those who kneel and even going so far as to praise fans who boo those kneeing (President Trump’s tweets). The common sentiment is that kneeling during the anthem and in the presence of the flag is disrespectful to the country. But doing away from the practice is a way of doing away with the players’ freedom of protest. If past court cases and the racial prison disparities are any indication the players are right in believing there is a level of injustice with regard to racial oppression and racism in our country.
By kneeling they are not disrespecting the flag but expressing their desire to see the country they love change for the better. Ta-Nehisi Coates says it best, “Enslavement was not destined to end, and it is wrong to claim our present circumstance… as the redemption for the lives of people” (Coates). Slavery may have been abolished 150 years ago, but it was not ended based off a change of heart but rather on the hard work of many willing to die to make the change. But still, race and racism create hierarchy, even though the country was established on the basis of equality.
NFL players are taking the steps to openly address their disapproval with the state of the country in the hope that America can continue to grow into the great and fair country it was founded to be. The NFL has brought significant light to an issue that needs to be addressed. We all need to stand or knee together to end racial division and allow all Americans and all people around the world to experience a life without fear of discrimination and oppression. Historian and leader against racism, Ibram X Kendi calls us to be antiracists and educate ourselves to combat the effects of centuries of racial construction. Without Humanities Core I likely would never have been introduced to the methods of fighting racism and would never have been able to truly sympathize with the players in the NFL. But thankfully I said yes to the course and one year later I am better equipped to seek change for all minorities. All lives matter and no matter the color of your skin or where you are from.
Work Cited
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between The World And Me. Random House, 2015, pp. 68-71.
Kendi, I. (2016). Stamped from the Beginning. New York: PublicAffairs.
United States Supreme Court. McCleskey v. Kemp. 22 Apr. 1987. Thomson Reuters Westlaw.
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I really liked how you focused just on slavery and how the racial views from that time are still prominent in the United States today. I think it’s insane how people still have the same mindset from the colonial period to justify how they see others in the twenty-first century. I feel like if white NFL players started kneeling during the national anthem first, there would be less criticism and consequences for them. However, because the protest is connected with African Americans, people disprove of it more. They use the idea that these players are dissenting and disrespecting the government when, in fact, they are just trying to say that they want to see change in the United States. The First Amendment is a crucial part of our nation so why can’t these men use it? Why force them to stay in the locker room when they have a right to take a stand?
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