Quarterback controversy -- Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, touched off a national controversy and ongoing discussion by refusing to stand for the National Anthem, citing his concerns about race relations in America. A panel will discuss the implications of race, sports and activism during "Taking a Knee," the first Oz Speaks event of the semester, on Sept. 6. (Photo under Creative Commons license courtesy of Seatacular/seatacular.com)
SUNY Oswego will open this year's Oz Speaks discussion series with "Taking A Knee," a panel discussion on Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest and the intersection of race, sports and activism, at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6.
The free event, in the Marano Campus Center auditorium (Room 132), will feature three SUNY Oswego faculty members -- Bonita Hampton of curriculum and instruction, Brian Moritz of communication studies and Kenneth Marshall of history -- with sports journalist Brent Axe from Syracuse.com and ESPN Radio Syracuse. They will discuss various angles on how Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, refused to stand for the national anthem because of racial issues in the United States, and how both support and backlash to his protest has unfolded.
A session for comments, questions and answers will follow the panel presentation, where the audience can choose to give their own thoughts on the topic or ask further questions of the panel. Oz Speaks is not a forum for debate, nor a place for hate; it is an inclusive session that is safe for expression, organizers said.
Other Oz Speaks topics this fall include transgender rights, free speech vs. hate speech and "being woke" (social awareness).
For more information, contact the Dean of Students Office at 315-312-5483 or deanofstudents@oswego.edu.