4 chapters across the catalog
A discussion regarding the NFL's decision to play "Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the first week of the season leads to a critique of the negotiation process. The hosts compare the limited one-week duration of the musical tribute to insufficient reparations proposals, arguing that symbolic gestures often lack substantive impact.
Colin Kaepernick began protesting police brutality by sitting during the national anthem during the 2016 NFL preseason. A timeline of his career shows he signed a $126 million extension in 2014 before being benched in 2015 and requesting a trade in early 2016. Photographer Jennifer Lee Chan captured the first viral image of him sitting at the back of the bench, which some initially interpreted as pouting over his lost starting role.
Former Green Beret Nate Boyer met with Colin Kaepernick to discuss the optics of his protest. Boyer suggested that Kaepernick take a knee rather than sit, arguing that kneeling is a sign of respect used in prayer and at soldiers' graves. Kaepernick adopted this suggestion, which transformed the visual nature of the protest from a perceived act of pouting to a more formal symbolic gesture.
The NBA's branding as a progressive league is contrasted with its standing rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem, a rule that was not enforced during the height of the NFL's kneeling controversy. The league is accused of leveraging social justice issues to attract a younger, "woke" audience while avoiding stances that impact the bottom line.
