The latest cover of the New Yorker probably didn’t come as a surprise to most, but it certainly proved controversial to some.
The issue, which is slotted to hit shelves across the country this week, is alleged to be a celebration – with an added tinge of guilt – of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The cover art is titled “In Creative Battle,” done by illustrator Mark Ulriksen.
The illustration features Martin Luther King Jr. in a kneeling stance, flanked by two controversial NFL players: Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick formerly of the San Francisco 49ers. Both players have knelt for the National Anthem in an attempt to protest police brutality and racial inequality in the US. (RELATED: Las Vegas Police Video Undercuts NFL Star’s Racism Claims)
“I’m glad that Colin Kaepernick and Michael Bennett are making it political,” Ulriksen said of the NFL. “I’m sure that if King were around today, he’d be disappointed at the slow pace of progress. Two steps forward, 20 steps back. Or 10 yards back, as the metaphor may be.”
Even though he’s on the cover of a 2018 New Yorker, it’s worth noting that Colin Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016. Michael Bennet is just one of a dozen players protesting on the Seattle Seahawks.