Why 49ers’ statement is no small thing
There’s a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill that he probably never said but over the last few weeks has been in my head:
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — once all other options have been exhausted.”
Colin Kaepernick started taking a knee during the national anthem almost five years ago. This week, the 49ers started flying a Black Lives Matter flag above Levi’s Stadium.
It took time and an unspeakable amount of tragedy for the 49ers, the NFL and the nation to start hearing it, but Kaepernick’s message is breaking through in a big way.
That flag is progress. It might be a small gesture, and yes it took too long for that to come about, but it’s empirical.
And while the movement doesn’t have universal support, it’s worth acknowledging that we’ve reached a point where such a “statement” doesn’t cause a presidential tweetstorm, a vice presidential virtue signal or an angry armed mob marching toward Santa Clara.
That’s progress, right? Yes, of course, there will be many who are “triggered” by the flag and the message. They’ll say things like “All Lives Matter” in
the comments section. Let them yell — they’re just embarrassing themselves.
“All Lives Matter” is a rhetorical crutch for those who believe rights are a zero-sum game — an ironic antithetical that provides nothing to the overall discourse. It deliberately ignores the fact that there’s a group of folks who don’t feel they’re a part of the “all” in this country and have the stories and data to back up their claims. It’s shameful to not only fail to listen but to try to dilute their message, too.
There will also be people who view the flag flying at Levi’s Stadium as a cynical ploy by the 49ers — a gesture that’s too little too late from an organization that more than a few believe didn’t stand
by Kaepernick when they had the chance. I certainly can’t tell you that it’s not just a craven PR move.
Remember: 49ers CEO Jed York once said that he doesn’t believe Kaepernick was blackballed by the NFL, and former safety Eric Reid claims that York begged him not to kneel during the national anthem.
That said, in recent weeks York and the Niners have pledged to donate $1 million to local and national organizations that are creating “change,” ostensibly toward more racial equality in America.
“We have to make sure we do everything we can that they have a voice, whether that’s making sure they can get out to vote (and that’s the best way to make your voice heard in this country), or if we can work with groups like the Players Coalition and others that can
help change laws and tactics, that we might not be experts in,” York said in this week’s “State of the Franchise” videos. “We want to work with people that are experts, so that we can make real, serious change in this country.”
People can change. They can “see the light,” as it were. And for some white folks, these concepts around race and discrimination are oftentimes difficult to understand. Yes, there are some who are deliberately obtuse, but it’s hard to reshape a worldview of even open-minded people. It’s clear, though, more and more people are picking up what Kaepernick was laying down half a decade ago — what he’s still advocating for now.
It should also be noted that Kaepernick was hardly the perfect messenger for the cause. No one is. But he was clear in his stances then. Clear
enough for someone like me to think he got it, at least. Apparently a sizable portion of America wasn’t ready for what he was saying.
It seems like it’s being heard now, though. If we are truly amid a new civil rights movement, it’s hard to argue that Kaepernick isn’t a leader in the cause and that his actions didn’t help spark it.
That said, remember when Vice President Mike Pence decided to spend taxpayer money so he could walk out of a 49ers-Colts game in Indianapolis in 2017 after 23 Niners knelt? Or what about when the NFL effectively banned players from kneeling during the national anthem in 2018? That wasn’t too long ago.
If change is truly afoot, it’s come a long way in a short period of time. This cause is beyond mainstream now — it’s not a fad or a short-lived wave.
Sure, Pence is still pushing “All Lives Matter,” but NFL golden boy Drew Brees pieced together the message the hard way a few weeks ago, and the league — not too long after having to settle with Kaepernick in court — has taken a strong BLM stance in recent weeks.
“We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said from his now-famous basement in suburban New York. “We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter.”
I like to think I’m pretty good at predictions, but I didn’t see that one coming.
And it serves as a reminder that while it’s fair to acknowledge and even condemn past failures, it’s also important to see and appreciate the current understanding. Progress is rarely ever linear, particularly when it comes to big, important and, for some, existential issues.
We’ll need time to see if the NFL — a league where roughly 70% of the players are Black — will be a truly strong advocate for Black Americans and minorities. You cannot advocate in the comments section; it requires consistent action.
The same goes for the 49ers. The flag is nice, the donations are better, but if they truly believe in the cause, their involvement cannot be a short-term deal.
Oh, and just for the record, every team in the NFL is free to sign Kaepernick. That’d send a message that would say far more than any flag could.