Why Colin Kaepernick And I Decided To Take A Knee Analysis
September 1, 2016: the day when teammates Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers chose to take a knee during the national anthem, which would contribute to the controversial debate over American ideals and police brutality that still persists today. With much backlash, Reid establishes a dismayed tone in order to express his disappointment with the misunderstanding of his motives. In his New York Times article, "Eric Reid: Why Colin Kaepernick and I Decided to Take a Knee," Eric Reid seeks to justify his and his teammate's actions on that September day. By employing rhetorical devices including quotations, anecdotes, and allusion, Reid attempts to convince the American public that kneeling during the national anthem was a
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In the first paragraph, Reid recounts the killing of Alton Sterling in his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA and expresses his emotions about how this could have happened to any of his family members. By providing a powerful short story to his situation, Reid emphasizes to the reader the urgency he felt to take action, hence the kneel during the national anthem. Therefore, the reader can develop a sense of empathy and finally come to understand why Reid decided to take those actions. In addition, Reid incorporates another anecdote when referring to how he and Kaepernick came to the conclusion to kneel. Reid mentions that he and Kaepernick received a visit from Nate Boyer, a retired Green Beret, also known as the Special Forces, and former N.F.L player. By giving insight into who Boyer is, Reid demonstrates that he and Kaepernick went to great lengths to devise a plan to communicate their frustration with out offending anyone. The reader can then deduce that this decision taken by Reid and Kaepernick was not taken lightly and was thoroughly deliberated, which convinces him or her that kneeling during the national anthem should not be misunderstood. Additionally, Reid utilizes anecdotes to combat the backlash his fellow teammate has received. By specifically describing the contributions Kaepernick has done to the reader, Reid sets out to extinguish Kaepernick’s smeared reputation and prove that Kaepernick only had positive intentions with the
In the first paragraph, Reid recounts the killing of Alton Sterling in his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA and expresses his emotions about how this could have happened to any of his family members. By providing a powerful short story to his situation, Reid emphasizes to the reader the urgency he felt to take action, hence the kneel during the national anthem. Therefore, the reader can develop a sense of empathy and finally come to understand why Reid decided to take those actions. In addition, Reid incorporates another anecdote when referring to how he and Kaepernick came to the conclusion to kneel. Reid mentions that he and Kaepernick received a visit from Nate Boyer, a retired Green Beret, also known as the Special Forces, and former N.F.L player. By giving insight into who Boyer is, Reid demonstrates that he and Kaepernick went to great lengths to devise a plan to communicate their frustration with out offending anyone. The reader can then deduce that this decision taken by Reid and Kaepernick was not taken lightly and was thoroughly deliberated, which convinces him or her that kneeling during the national anthem should not be misunderstood. Additionally, Reid utilizes anecdotes to combat the backlash his fellow teammate has received. By specifically describing the contributions Kaepernick has done to the reader, Reid sets out to extinguish Kaepernick’s smeared reputation and prove that Kaepernick only had positive intentions with the