Isaiah Crowell

Isaiah Crowell and Colin Kaepernick: A tale of two controversies

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell’s experience in dealing with his own controversy can be a guide for Colin Kaepernick to follow.

It was not that long ago that Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell was embroiled in a controversy over perceived police brutality. The way Crowell handled his controversy provides insight into the Colin Kaepernick controversy. Kaepernick should follow Crowell’s lead if he truly wants to make a difference for oppressed minorities in the United States.

When injustice occurs in the world, what is the best way to make a change? Although this question may sound overtly philosophical and abstract, it strikes at the heart of recent controversies surrounding Crowell and Kaepernick.

Crowell perceived injustice in the world over the killing of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota by white police officers. In what he described as a moment of “outrage” that left him “upset,” Crowell posted a picture of a police officer having his throat slit on his Instagram account.

It should be noted that Crowell posted the image before the Dallas sniper shootings killing five police officers.

Kaepernick also perceived injustice in the world, stating that he believes the “Cops are getting paid leave for killing people.”

This has led him to the position that the American flag, which he believes represents freedom and justice for all, flies over a country in which not all people are free. Kaepernick refuses to stand for the national anthem because he believes there needs to be change in the way America treats minorities.

At the core issue, Crowell and Kaepernick’s positions are aligned. Both perceive a problem with police brutality against minorities, want to make a difference, and want it stopped.

Where they differ, however, is how they dealt with the aftermath of their respective controversies.

Dec 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) is chased by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) and free safety Eric Reid (35) during a 54 yard run during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Crowell immediately found himself in the middle of a controversy after the Instagram picture. The message of the picture seemed to imply that killing police officers was acceptable, and fans and the police were outraged over such a violent message.

Crowell immediately took the image down and apologized for the post. He was contrite and showed remorse over the issue. However, his apology rang hollow to the Cleveland police union, which threatened to boycott working security at Browns games. Even the Browns front office responded to Crowell’s apology by telling Crowell he needed to make a “positive difference” moving forward.

Crowell then reached out to the Dallas Police Department, which welcomed Crowell, met with him, listened to what he had to say about the issue, and began working for a solution. Crowell then pledged one game check to the Dallas Police Department. He later stated that the way he originally handled the issue made him part of the problem and not the solution.

And with that, Crowell’s controversy abated.

Colin Kaepernick found himself in a controversy after refusing to stand for the national anthem. However his attempts have backfired as his message that “minorities are mistreated in the United States” has been lost in the midst of the Kaepernick story. Every major sports reporting outlet has focused not on the message, but on whether or not Kaepernick will stand for the anthem.

Kaepernick continued to cause controversy when he wore a pair of socks depicting pigs wearing police uniforms. The socks were worn as a protest against “rogue cops” who “put the community in danger.”

At the time of this writing, Kaepernick’s actions have drawn negative attention to himself and produced animosity between the San Francisco 49ers and the law enforcement community. The local police union is currently allowing officers to boycott working at 49ers games, claiming that Kaepernick’s actions have created a hostile and unsafe working environment for the officers.

Kaepernick’s actions have escalated into a controversy with rising tensions. Also, his actions have helped to make the story about Kaepernick. What will he do next? Will he stand for the anthem? Will other teams be interested in him if he is cut due to the controversy?

The message of police brutality has been completely lost in the reporting and Kaepernick has failed to bring awareness to his issue. Furthermore, he has done nothing to resolve the issue. If anything he has made the situation more tense in the San Francisco area.

He is a man who perceives an issue to be resolved. But so far, his actions have not resolved the issue.

Sep 1, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (right) talks to media after the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Once the problem is perceived, what is the best way to address the issue? The problem of police brutality against minorities was addressed by Crowell and Kaepernick in two very different ways. My criterion for evaluating the responses is effectiveness. How well did each response effectively bring awareness to the issue and bring about positive change?

Some will argue that Kaepernick is in his rights to sit through the national anthem. I agree. He also has a right to do what he chooses to bring awareness to his cause. People have the right to agree or disagree with those actions.

He also has the right to live with the consequences of those actions. His actions have had the unintended consequence of raising tensions between Kaepernick, his employer, and the law enforcement community. This is not what Kaepernick wanted when he sat through the national anthem.

Kaepernick sought to bring awareness to the issue of police brutality against minorities by sitting through the national anthem. Why bring awareness to an issue if not to bring about positive change? In some way, shape or form Kaepernick wants to see his issue get better.

While he pledged to donate $1 million to groups that help people affected by the issues he is trying to spotlight, right now, his actions are not helping the issue. They are potentially making the issue worse by increasing, not alleviating, the tensions between the parties involved.

Crowell, either by choice or by the urging of the Browns front office, chose to take actions that will help bring positive change. He visited the Dallas Police Department. He listened to them and vice versa. He opened a dialogue and chose to work with the police to create a better situation. He acknowledged his actions were a part of the problem and vowed to be a part of the solution.

Crowell’s actions brought awareness combined with concrete actions to work for resolution. On the other hand, Kaepernick’s actions brought awareness to himself, not his cause, with no real concrete plan to make the situation better.

Something needs to change.

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns former running back Jim Brown (L) talks with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam (R) before the Browns play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Athletes have a platform to make social change. Over the years, athletes have struggled with the realities of fame and social responsibility. From Charles Barkley’s famous, “I am not a role model” to Jim Brown’s working with inner city gangs, the way athletes have handled fame and social responsibility has varied.

Spiderman fans will remember the famous dictum, “with great power comes great responsibility.” If athletes chose to enter the social arena in order to affect change, they need to use their power responsibly. Crowell entered the social arena, after a long detour and found a way to make a positive change. Kaepernick is still seeking a way to make a positive change.

Other athletes have entered the social arena and made a difference. Warrick Dunn is a great example of this as his Warrick Dunn Charities partners with Habitat for Humanity to help single parent families obtain and keep housing. According to the Warrick Dunn Charities website, they have helped 150 families obtain housing over the past 19 years.

The self-proclaimed King of Pop, Michael Jackson, was correct about one thing: change starts with the man in the mirror. The best way to affect change in your world is to change yourself. If Kaepernick or any other athlete seeks change in this world, the first place to start is with themselves.

So far, Kaepernick has unsuccessfully sought change in the treatment of minorities by law enforcement. His efforts have achieved the exact opposite of what he intended to accomplish. It is time for Kaepernick to make a change himself.

He needs to follow in the footsteps of Dunn, Crowell, Jim Brown and countless athletes before him. Now that he has drawn attention to himself and his issue, he needs to take concrete actions within his community to build positive connections between minorities and law enforcement. He needs to take concrete steps to effect positive change.

Kaepernick now has the platform and the attention, but will he take the steps necessary to change his world for good?