Two months into his protests during the national anthem, Colin Kaepernick is still hearing about his hair. From his critics, and from his supporters. Such is black life in America, especially if black life is what matters to you, and your quest is to make sure the world knows it.
Kaepernick’s critics know it. One doesn’t have to wait long or look far to see a condemnation of him and his protest that includes a mention of his big, fluffy, throwback Afro — usually a crude, insulting, not-even-subtly racist reference. Search "Kaepernick stupid hair" on Twitter if you're not sure.
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The notorious T-shirt being sold at the 49ers game in Buffalo last week, in which Kaepernick was on a “Wanted” poster with a rifle crosshairs aimed at him? The photo was of him in the Afro. Kaepernick has been in the NFL for six years, and there are surely thousands of photos of him available for even a heinous prop like that. This was no coincidence.
The ‘fro is a lightning rod. It pushes buttons.
And Kaepernick knows it. He’s never had to say it. His hair has been as effective a silent gesture as his kneeling has been. It’s been a trigger for those who oppose him, but who refrain from openly expressing feelings that sound distasteful.
But once the objections move from patriotism and disrespect for troops or law enforcement to his hairdo, the underlying offense reveals itself easily.
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The ironic beauty of his hair choice, of course, is that the very first criticisms made of Kaepernick’s stance, by professionals and the general public, were of his racial makeup and history: his mother is white, and he was raised by a white family. Those were used as weapons against him, his sincerity and credibility.
That talk ended in an instant … as soon as Kaepernick appeared with that ‘fro. Even at his most elusive, he couldn’t have changed direction as fast as that narrative did.
None of this is a new phenomenon, any more than it’s a new hairdo. African-American hair has been simultaneously a battleground and an obsession from the time blacks were brought to this continent. It has always meant something to somebody, to the wearer and the outsider.
And to those who feel a need to critique the wearer while not sounding outwardly racist (or, believe they’re not), the hair becomes the target. Which is why it was a glorious coincidence that Kaepernick unveiled his new style around the same time Allen Iverson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
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At the height of Iverson’s career — while he, to many, defined a certain generation of NBA player and national sports figure — the go-to phrase to derisively describe him, his fellow players, his culture and his era was “cornrows and tattoos.” It was the convenient shortcut everybody understood.
It was also the time that “thug” entered the national vocabulary to describe young black men of that generation in the league, the sports world and society overall; a word to trot out when the one starting with “n” was likely to lead to a fight. Thus, the NBA in the 2000s became the league full of “cornrowed thugs.”
Kaepernick’s hair — his “stupid” hair or hairdo or Afro or thing on his head — has served the same purpose for many today. It’s not hard to spot. The context of the commentary will fill in the gaps easily. There rarely is a scolding about how “un-American” or “ungrateful” or “deviant” Kaepernick, that is still complementary about his Afro and what it represents.
At the same time, of course, those who are in line with Kaepernick’s cause and actions reacted instantly and instinctively to the Afro from the moment they saw it. It may have galvanized his support and his supporters more than his actual kneeling did.
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The most obvious indication: the #KapSoBlack hashtag that sprang up almost simultaneously with the first game in which his protest was widely known. The most recent: a testament to his 'fro this week at Jezebel.com.
The Afro sends a specific message. Whether it’s one that comforts, or scares, or enrages, depends on how one receives the message.
But Kaepernick sends it … again, without saying a word.