Kaepernick’s anthem stand is extremely misguided
If you want to persuade people, the best way is not to insult them to the core. If anyone ever gave that advice to Colin Kaepernick, he apparently wasn’t listening.
That assumes San Francisco’s quarterback is actually interested in convincing people he is right about an issue. Right now, millions of Americans are merely convinced that Kaepernick is a complete dope for refusing to stand for the national anthem before Friday night’s National Football League pre-season game.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour,” he told NFL Network.
“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.”
Police shootings of black men is a serious issue deserving serious scrutiny. But Kaepernick’s approach alienated countless people who otherwise might be sympathetic to his cause.
Or do we still have the right to be insulted when people dishonour the flag?
The fans who spent the weekend burning Kaepernick’s jersey apparently think so. Even players, who normally march lock-step in defence, are mixed on this one.
“You’ve got to respect the flag and stand with your teammates,” Giants receiver Victor Cruz said. “It’s bigger than you, in my opinion.”
All the criticism has naturally ingratiated Kaepernick to his defenders, ever eager to anoint the next Muhammad Ali. They say Kaepernick is bravely trying to bring awareness to the cause.
Let’s face it, if there’s one issue every sentient American is aware of these days, it’s police shootings of minorities.
Forget the saturation coverage any time an incident occurs and/or a police officer is subsequently killed. Sports figures have lined up to speak out. But stars like Dwyane Wade and even Michael Jordan have done it in more effective ways.
Don’t take my word for it. Dorian Majied is a black Army Ranger who served in Iraq. His comments to the Independent Journal Review became an Internet favourite:
“(Kaepernick) could write his congressman, he could petition, he could picket, he could join the service and actually fight for the rights he seems to think are not offered to him. His sitting through the national anthem was a lazy lack of willpower and brains.”
For evidence, cut to Kaepernick’s Twitter feed, which reads like a Black Lives Matter press release. He retweeted images of the American and Confederate flags last Thursday with the caption:
“The fact that you really believe that is a difference in these flags means that your (sic) ignoring history.”
Apparently the NFL’s resident history expert believes four million black people are still in chains. But I would bet when they actually were, none made $19 million a year to play quarterback.
A serious approach to solving social problems would include a discussion of the breakdown of the black family, crime stats and academic studies. But instead of having the proverbial conversation about race BLM followers shout down dissenting views.
To them, merely expressing them proves you are racist (so beware, Cruz and Majied). Nothing must get in the way of the narrative that America is hopelessly evil and police are wantonly slaughtering black youths. That is what Kaepernick stands for. Some have suggested his real motive is to deflect from the fact his career is circling the drain. Kaepernick can turn himself into a martyr and claim the NFL had it in for him.
I think he sincerely believes America has barely progressed since the Lincoln assassination. And that oh-so-oppressive nation lets everyone raise issues, speak their conscience, go off half-cocked, condemn the people who protect you, be divisive instead of healing, grandstand and act like an ungrateful entitled idiot. Kaepernick is exercising that right to the fullest.