By now you've heard about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the national anthem. He has said he'll continue to sit until he sees a significant change in the treatment of people of color in our country.
Reactions to Kaepernick's protest have been swift and strong, with many seeming to condemn the act without bothering to listen to the motivation.
Some complained about him criticizing a country that has afforded him the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing football. Kaepernick said he's not speaking for himself but for those without a platform: "I've been blessed to be able to get this far and have the privilege of being in the NFL and making the kind of money I make and enjoy luxuries like that. I can't look in the mirror and see other people dying in the street that should have the same opportunities that I've had and say, you know what, I can live with myself."
Others have claimed that Kaepernick's act was disrespectful to U.S. troops. Kaepernick said he has great respect for our military, which has had his family and friends among its ranks. "They fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That's not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn't holding their end of the bargain up."
Ever since the story broke Friday night, it seems everyone's been eager to give a take. NFL coaches and players -- including Drew Brees -- have weighed in with their criticisms of the act, the message or both. Some players have said they support his message, but not the forum.
The NFL community's discussions about Kaepernick's actions stand in stark contrast to the responses many players and coaches have given when asked about domestic abuse in the NFL. Some players reacted strongly to the video of Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator. Some said they'd rather not have Greg Hardy in their locker room after photos surfaced of his then-girlfriend's visible bruising the night of his alleged assault. But for the most part, when asked about incidents of domestic violence -- even those documented in photos or video -- players stay mum or claim they don't have enough information to criticize.
Dr. Eric M. Carter, an associate professor of sociology at Georgetown College in Kentucky, spoke to the New York Times about the relative silence among pro athletes when it comes to hot-button issues like the Rice video. "Why don't we see more collective action among athletes?" said Carter. "Because they've got too much to lose individually, or at least they perceive they have too much to lose individually."
Carter interviewed over 100 players for his 2009 book, "Boys Gone Wild: Fame, Fortune and Deviance Among Professional Football Players" and said job security is a big reason players keep quiet. "I think it's part of that 'We all have short careers, we've got to get what we want right now' mentality. 'We've got to protect ourselves,' in that sense," Carter told the Times. "Maybe it comes off as protecting their teammates, which is what we would all like to think, that there's this real social bond that exists among these guys, but maybe not so much as you'd think."
We're seeing that again now with Giants kicker Josh Brown, who has been suspended one game after a May 2015 arrest on a charge of assault in the fourth degree/domestic violence, for which he was suspended one game by the NFL on Wednesday. Brown's ex-wife told police that he had been physically violent with her in more than 20 instances over the past several years.
Said Giants defensive end Jason Pierre Paul: "We're all family around here. People have their own problems to handle. He's still our brother and we look past it."
Said Giants QB Eli Manning: "I don't think there is a whole lot to say. To the team, if Josh wants to say something, he can explain his case. I don't know a whole lot of details about what happened. I know he's been suspended and that's about all I know."
Said Giants guard Justin Pugh: "Obviously, you have to be there for your teammate. I don't want to get too into it because I don't know all the details ... but all we can do is support our teammate and make sure we're there for him."
Pugh did get into the Kaepernick situation, though, tweeting about how he'll be sure to stand for the anthem.
Ben McAdoo, who said shortly after taking over the Giants' head-coaching gig that he wouldn't tolerate domestic violence, has made one statement on Brown's abusive incident: "I do support Josh as a man, a father and a player."
Yet McAdoo had plenty to say about Kaepernick's protest on Monday, including this: "I'd be disappointed if one of our guys chose not to stand." Kaepernick speaking up for those without a voice is disappointing, but Brown earns McAdoo's full support. Huh.
It may not be surprising that while Brown's coach and teammates are unwilling to speak out against him, no one else in the league has criticized the Giants, either, for re-signing their kicker to a two-year deal.
Back in 2014, even Kaepernick himself played the "not my business" card when asked about the release of teammate Ray McDonald the day it was learned he was being investigated on suspicion of sexual assault. McDonald had previously been investigated for domestic violence.
"He's a good friend to a lot of people on this team. No one thought bad of him," Kaepernick said then. "Hopefully it's just a misunderstanding. ... I understand why the team did what it did. Other than that, it's not my business."
Violence against women, like racial oppression, should be everyone's business. And we should be able to talk freely about these issues.
The fact that players are jumping at the chance in 2016 to speak out about Kaepernick's protest proves it's not just about the desire to keep quiet for the sake of job security. The key is whether they're willing to listen to the disenfranchised, be it a survivor of domestic abuse or a target of police brutality.
I look forward to the day when people stand up and demand justice for people with the same passion they display in defending symbols. After all, what's the point of defending the American flag if you're not invested in protecting the very people it represents? What's the use in defending the freedoms our anthem promises if you're not willing to listen to those who aren't truly free?
Standing for the anthem is easy because it's expected. Loving your country enough to want to make it better is real patriotism.