Monday, August 29, 2016

To stand or not to stand.

Image result for colin kaepernick  imagesOver sixty percent of Americans want to give San Francisco QB, Colin Kaepernick, a piece of their minds, because, to them, he has disrespected America by refusing to stand for the national anthem.

Of those sixty percent, I m sure that more than half of them are supporting the republican nominee for president. He is a man who took multiple deferments instead of actually serving in the military like so many other young men did at the time. (He actually had FIVE draft deferments during the Vietnam war. FIVE!) But back to #7.

It would be so easy to rip him as just another pampered millionaire athlete who doesn't realize how good he has it here in America. "The guy makes millions to play a game for crying loud! Why can't he just cash his checks and shut his mouth? He should just take his black ass to Africa and see how good he will have it there"  But I say good for him for making a  stand (or in this case a seat) about something that he believes in. The fact that he happens to be a famous athlete makes his stance even more powerful, and it will no doubt shine a brighter light on what he thinks is the issue of inequality and institutionalized racism in this country.

Also, the fact that he was able to articulate his position in such a thoughtful manner was also refreshing. Obviously it is something that he has thought about, and he did not come to his decision overnight. Watching his impromptu press conference at his locker made that all too clear.

It's also nice to see that he is getting support from some of his fellow NFL players, it can be awful lonely out there on principle island; especially when you are a professional athlete who is expected to be a role- model while toe the party line.  

This country has a lot of problems, but one of the beautiful things about this country is that we have a Constitution that allows us to speak up about those problems without having to worry about losing our freedom. And we are also free to  disagree with each other as many have chosen to do with #7.

I love all the people having jersey burning ceremonies because the guy just made them so mad. ("This is America, damn it!! If you don't like it n****r you can leave.") It's sentiments like that one of course, which make Kaepernick's act of defiance even more irradiating. I doubt seriously if the folks making those types of vitriolic attacks see the irony in all of it.

I have loved ones who fought and died defending the First Amendment right of people like Kaepernick to refuse to stand for the anthem, as well as the rights of those who choose to call  him out as a piece of shit or idiot for refusing to do so.
Personally, I stand for the national anthem, as, quite frankly, I would for the anthem of any country. That's the Jamaican in me. But if someone chooses not to for whatever reason, I am honestly not bothered by it, and if that person happens to be a high profile athlete making a social or political statement; I say go for it.

“To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder".

OK, so it isn't Tommie Smith and John Carlos, but this isn't 1968, either. Although we seem to be getting back there really fast.

*Pic from latimes.com.












46 comments:

Peter said...

Lots of angry 49ers fans. I thought with San Francisco being so liberal, fans of the city's teams would be more left of center. 49ers fans always seem to come off as pretty conservative and lovers of the status quo. Odd that.

Anonymous said...

Beyonce brought the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner to the VMA's. Interesting...

Anonymous said...

What's "interesting" about it? just another gibsmedat guilt fest put on by music industry scumbags to squeeze more shekels out of the dumbed down mASSES.

None of these rapper filth mention the hundreds and hundreds of ghetto rats gunned down every week by other ghetto rats - we're only supposed to focus on Treeboon and the like. Niggerz, please!

Zimmerman did nothing wrong.

Anonymous said...

I love the Jamaican national anthem: it's called "Smoke Two Joints" by The Toyes.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @ 10:55 is just bitter that his dick is microscopic. And he saw a white woman with a black guy earlier today.

Crudup said...

You never see white athletes do this. Why? Because they are pussies.

PilotX said...

We should stop playing the national anthem at sporting events anyway. Not the time nor the place.

StillaPanther2 said...

As a veteran of the war that Mr. Trump saw fit not go; I equate his actions to that of Brother Colin Kaepernick. Mr. Trump felt that his country was not good enough or valuable enough to defend the flag. So when you burn Brother Kaepernick's jerseys and other barbs thrown his way, remember others had a chance to honor the flag and did not. More majority people (men) failed to defend that flag as draft dodgers and today they are seen as people who displayed their conscience- the same as Brother Kaepernick. I wonder if we had a war where the opposition had the same mite as USA, how many of these "jersey burners" would step forward.

The American flag has flown over times of outright hostilities to me and my kind, therefor I would be wrong if I went against any person that felt the flag still is not living up to it symbolic message. PS PS In Vietnam I saw more Confederate flags than the Stars and Stripes- on tanks, hooches, helmets, radio towers and anywhere else it could be affixed.

So Mr. Kaepernick, you owe no apologies.... more than I can say about that American hero (MR. Trump).

Were you aware more men died in the decade after Vietnam than died in Vietnam. Mr. Trump let me be first in line to receive your apology. I will also accept the apologies for Bros. James Nathanial Brown, Vernon Owens, Robert Clayton (on the WALL)and Louis Jackson. These are all the Black males (Hampton VA) that died for the American flag.... something Donald Trump was scared to do.

Conner said...

Hey StillaPanther, shove it up your ass, bitch.

dinthebeast said...

He didn't even trip on the song itself, which we only hear one verse of at games and such. There is a verse after that cheering on the death of slaves who revolted in the war of 1812. Maybe someone has told him that part by now. As far as his protest, that's what the first amendment is about. Remember the "I may disagree with what you are saying but I will fight to the death for your right to say it"? Wasn't that supposed to be America? Or are we still terrified from the McCarthy era witch hunts and can't take any criticism that might invite scrutiny? It seems to me that protest would be an improvement on a spectacle whose main purpose is enriching a bunch of billionaires, but that's just me, and I know a lot of people do love their football.

-Doug in Oakland

Anonymous said...

LOL. Doug, you are such a pompous, self-righteous, stuck up prick. No wonder you support progressive bullshit.

PRT said...

I would like to see some Trump supporters put Kaepernick in his place.

Oh, and one more thing. Why do left-of-center white people always have such low self-esteem and such hate for their own race? I never understood that.

Anonymous said...

I'm a black man who doesn't really care about Colin Kaepernick. We don't have much in common, and he doesn't "represent" me. I don't care one way or another what he does.
On the other hand, I do care about Trump vs. Hillary. Frankly, Hillary won't do shit for black people. Will Trump do better? Who knows. All I know is, he can't be any worse than Hillary. At least Trump speaks honestly to blacks, whereas Hillary just panders, knowing in the back of her mind that at the first opportunity she will turn her back on the black community.
I don't care if you don't vote for Trump. Just don't vote for Hillary.

Anonymous said...

Why are all the blacks, Puerto Ricans, and white liberals on this blog so fucking stupid and annoying?

Lance Cockstrong said...

It's been a dream of mine to trump Trump's butt. Hence, why I always refer to him as Butt Trumpet.

Testicle Sweat said...

Hey Yisheng, doesn't it just suck to be you?

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 11:07 -

In fact, I did see a white woman with a black (cough) man today - and the bitch weighed 300 lbs, easy. Plus, that nappy-headed orange kid they had with them was pretty ugly too. It DID make me mad, in fact; I'm going to be paying for these useless animals with my tax dollars for decades to come.

My dick? Big enough so your mama loves it. She calls it "Vanilla Delight."

Anonymous said...

@ Lance Cuntstench -

Get some new material, bitch. Your shit's old and weak. Redd Foxx is funnier than you, and he's been dead going on 25 years.

Anonymous said...

All black pro sports players should boycott, sit down, protest the American flag and anthem. It would be epic to see the reaction of the white fans. Maybe some of them would wake up and boycott pro sports.

Nah, too many are cucked out to do that! "Gotz ta' have my bouncy ball" and "what am I gonna do with my favorite black player's jersey I wear all the time?"

How is it that a semi-literate boob-ball player makes national news?

field negro said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
field negro said...

Says Conner who never served his country.

anotherbozo said...

The White House press secretary was way out of line on this. It was O.K. to say he PERSONALLY found Kaepernick's sit-down unaccceptable, but when he said WE he was off-base. And if the President said that, he was, too.

A symbolic protest that we haven't lived up to our national charter is one of the highest forms of patriotism. Ask Thoreau. Ask Eugene Debs. Ask Rosa Parks. Ask John Lewis. And on and on. An individual conscience is an individual conscience.

Of course Kaepernick loves America. He just wants it to be what it set out to be. Step one is reminding other citizens that we're far from there yet, have big problems that need attending. Sitting is Kaepernick's way. Get over it, or better, work to give him a good reason to stand up.

Anonymous said...

But does Kaperdick help out in the ghettos with all the millions he earns? Does he put his money where is half breed mouth is? NOT!

anotherbozo said...

Ed at Gin and Tacos sees a mountain of hypocrisy in right wingers criticizing Kaepernick:

http://www.ginandtacos.com/

Anonymous @9:16: Are you Kaepernick's accountant? Best friend? How do you know what he does with his money, or plans to do with it? Have you asked the same question of Roger Ailes, Donald J. Trump, the Koch brothers, Carly Fiorina, and all those other millionaires whose wealth-making ability doesn't depend on a few years when they are at their peak physical condition? Just asking.

Anonymous said...

Big ups to Colin and his "stand"/sit down on Courage to bring much needed light on the hypocrisy of this American foundings!!

Blu

Anonymous said...

I love a good controversy in the world of professional sports. Makes me hard.

Joder La Resistencia said...

Who said the knockout game is a myth?

Police Consider ‘Knockout Game’ A Possibility In Fatal Lawncrest Attack

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/08/29/victim-of-lawncrest-attack-dies-from-injuries/

Oregon Pride said...

Lol. San Francisco.
I never understood the appeal of California. My state is a lot nicer. Plus, it doesn't have a shithole metropolis like Los Angeles.
Kaepernick can stay there.

Joder La Resistencia said...

It's good that Kaepernick is getting use to sitting, Cause that's about all Kap will be doing this season....

Taking deferments is now an issue? Good thing it wasn't a issue when you was voting for Bubba the first black president.


I Hate Spics, Gooks, Kikes, and Faggots said...

Colin Kaepernick is standing up for the lives of African-Americans in this country! Just like Hillary will do!
#ImWithHer

Lance Cockstrong said...

@ Anonymous 5:36

Redd Foxx was a lame white boy with a tiny dick. So are you.

Max said...

Ok everybody, say it with me: Gary Johnson! Gary Johnson! Gary Johnson!

Little Bitch said...

The B-I-B-L-E. Yes that's the book for me.

Puerto Rican food is nasty shit said...

You're right. This isn't quite John Carlos and Tommie Smith, but relative to today's professional athletes, this is quite the statement. Anybody who has a problem with what Kaepernick is doing needs to re-read the First Amendment.
Hopefully this will encourage more pro athletes to take a courageous stand.

Pukey Donaldson said...

Colin Kaepernick is such an opportunistic punk ass bitch. I've never heard or seen any "activist spirit" from his half-breed millionaire ass before. Ever. He just wants to draw attention to himself because his career is going down the shitter and is in the doghouse with fans. Plus, in case Trump gets elected he knows this could be the last chance for doing this kind of fuckery. Obama and Hillary don't expect personal responsibility from blacks, but Trump does.
Kaepernick is a moron.

Anonymous said...

Fuck it.

Trump 2016

OptimusPrimeX said...

Colin Kaepernick is fugazi as Trump's appeal to African Americans. His actions were:

Not Heroic - San Fran is the MOST segregated major city in the US, yet Marshawn Lynch has invested in providing affordable housing in nearby Oakland. Crickets on Colin
Not Historic - Colin, in Sept 2014, was the 1st NFL player penalized for calling another player N!gg@
Not Sacrificial - Ali sacrificed his prime for the Antiwar cause - I cannot find the protest, forum, rally, panel where Colin attended, sacrificed his time or money;
Not Iconic - Tommie Smith & Carlos Moore STOOD, after winning the Gold Medal. No stand by Colin, while in the 2013 NFC Championship - 1 year after Trayvon's death nor in 2012;
Not Political - Was he on the Undefeated panel? Black News programs? Mainstream? Did he recruit other players to protest?

His stand is representative of the kind of lazy pretense of activism that has infected the country.

Where's his foundation? (LBJ)
Where's his article detailing specific problems and proposing specific policy solutions? (Jabari Parker).

He called America racist, sat down during the national anthem, and that's it?

That's just indulging teen anger without even spending enough effort to really learn about the complexities of the problem.

It's a teenager's version of social media activism the type of thing you see from Trump or at Trump calling for African-American votes.

As for his NFL peers and coaches offering opinions on Colin's stance; when they were asked about Domestic Violence, Drug Use - their opinions were - "NO COMMENT" "Let's Wait for the Facts to Come Out."

I wish they would offer Colin the same courtesy as they offered other Offensive Players- Their opinions should be "NO COMMENT" "Let's Wait for the Facts to Come Out."

OptimusPrimeX said...

*John Carlos

Badass Gen Xer said...

Fuck Generation Z and the Baby Boomers.

Anonymous said...

Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton? You might as well just elect Trump.

Penn said...

Damn, did you read about that black guy at the North Las Vegas McDonald's who got shot and killed over not holding the door open for some bitch?
Smdh. Female entitlement.

ANON. said...

Let's hope we are not getting back to 1968, that was a very bad year.

Anonymous said...

Mark Burns is on the all time biggest coon list!

Anonymous said...

The saddest part of this whole thing is that now a lot of 49ers fans want Blaine Gabbert to be the starter. Blaine Gabbert!!!

Lt. Commander Johnson said...

Nah. That's not sad.

Colin Capperrdink is just another sorry-assed black player (QB) style.

The homo-bastard only wants to use his history of being adopted by "White Parents", as some kind of excuse.

Why don't you Google those "parents"?

Lt. Commander Johnson said...

Uh Huh. I say STAND!

Trade his sorry ass to the Philly Eagles.

he can really relate to the love the brothers have there.

Make him your Kilaladeplia Meter Man, field.