How the Game Can Unite the Country

The article of response is Football Has Always Been a Battleground in the Culture War. The author of the article is Van R. Newkirk II. This article is about the segregation of African Americans and how football brings the country together. The article is about how football could let people get away from the changing world around them of politics. The NFL helps bring Americans together with the going profit margins of football and integrating African Americans into the sport. America could almost be a utopia when football is on. Religion is not as popular since the creation of the country.

America has been founded on Christian values, but now organized religion is falling back because of football. Football has replaced the going of a church on Sunday, people would rather watch a football game than be in an organized religion. Football is a lot like church according to the article when it says, “American capitalism, the worship of great men, and individual narrative of sacrifice and superhuman feats”. Football is how many Americans express themselves today, and even back in the 1970’s. Colin Kaepernick’s actions of him kneeling for the national anthem has caused such a huge controversy throughout the country. Colin brought politics into football which is a big mistake, people go to football as a get away from politics.

Colin’s actions have sparked conflicts all over the nation. Colin was banned from football for the demonstration he showed on the field of disrespect. Colin brought politics into a sport that brought many ethnic groups together due to the absence of politics. Donald Trump then told Kaepernick to “find a new country”. If the president is talking about your actions, then you really messed up. Military, police, fighter jets, and more make up the pregame of football. Kaepernick disregarded everyone that is a public servant, like police and military because of his beliefs. He showed no respect to the NFL that provides him with a career. Football was supposed to bring everyone together and now, it is tearing the nation apart because of one’s actions.

The world has changed a lot since the start of the nation or even from the 1970’s. The nation was brought together by football. I truly believe that football has had some impact on bringing many ethnic groups together as one. Football gives Americans outlets to their problems. Problems like increased stress from their jobs, politics, and other things that can affect daily life. Colin Kaepernick is one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history in my books. People give their lives for this country and because of his views, he disrespects everyone that has died for this country. Everyone from the line of duty police officers to firefighters in 9/11, and servers of the military. He does not realize doing that doesn’t just affect him but everyone in the nation that is patriotic to some extent. His degenerate decisions make him incompetent to realize the bigger picture.

Colin shows disrespect because he is “protesting” something that has no relation to football or the national anthem. He made football political when it hasn’t been for years. With Colin doing so he caused the biggest upsets in the nation and many people are furious about his actions. This is not in the article, but I found it interesting that Nike made Colin their spokesmen to invoke more outrage and attention. Nike stocks went down about three percent when they did this, but it is a very good marketing strategy. That said this made people burn Nike clothes, shoes, and anything Nike. This sounds like a marketing scheme in the big picture, Colin disrespected fallen soldier, police officers, and public servants who have given their lives for this country. Colin could have shown his views in any other way than football, it’s football, not politics.

Football has brought America together over the years. Decreasing the number of churchgoers and increasing the number of viewers of Sunday football. Football went from segregated to bringing many ethnic groups together and bonding them by disconnecting them from societies politics. NFL acted as a utopia for many Americans because it brought them away from the dystopia they live in. Religion has never been the same since the entrance of Sunday football to the nation.