Anthem action no protest, Carr says
Although Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch won’t discuss why he is sitting for the national anthem, teammates Derek Carr and Khalil Mack were in the locker room late Saturday night, explaining their subtle actions during the anthem before the preseason game against the Rams.
Carr placed his right hand on Mack’s left shoulder as a show of solidarity, they said.
“We’re not protesting,” Carr said. “We’re not doing anything like that. What we wanted to do was show all the kids that look up to me, look up to him, that white kids, blue kids, brown kids, blue, green, doesn’t matter, can all be loving to each other.”
Mack said he wanted to “show unity” between “different races.”
“White, black, whatever you are, get along. … Show togetherness,”
Mack said. “It’s discussed a lot. It’s one of the things I feel passionately about, but I just don’t like the attention, the attention that comes with it. But at the same time, just using my platform for positivity is what’s important for me.”
As Carr said, everyone is watching what players do now during the national anthem. While Seattle defensive lineman Michael Bennett sits to protest social injustice, and has said that Lynch, his former teammate, is doing the same, Carr said he and Mack wanted to go about it a different way, together.
“Obviously, we see what’s going on in the world,” Carr said. “Obviously, everyone pays attention to the national anthem nowadays, and so we just said this was the best time to do it while still honoring our country. Because I love this country, more than anything. We’re free to live here and play this game, but we’re also free to show each other that we love one another. …
“We wanted to show them that it’s OK for a white kid and a black kid that come from two different neighborhoods (to) grow up and love one another and be best friends.”
Many fans and media members in attendance thought rookie safety Shalom Luani also was making a statement when he took a knee during the anthem. Luani said he merely was late getting in his pregame prayer and stood for the anthem when he was finished.
Outside linebacker Bruce Irvin raised a fist during the anthem.
The various statements during the anthem came a week after racially charged demonstrations and violence in Charlottesville, Va., resulted in the death of Heather Heyer.
Like Carr, Philadelphia defensive lineman Chris Long, the son of former Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long, is white and heard Bennett when he said a white player joining in protests would change the conversation. So, on Thursday, he placed his hand on teammate Malcolm Jenkins’ shoulder as Jenkins raised his fist during the anthem.
Long said he was inspired by Heyer and other counterprotesters who stood up to white supremacists in Charlottesville.
“If you don’t see why you need allies for people that are fighting for equality right now, I don’t think you’ll ever see it,” Long told reporters. “So my thing is, Malcolm is a leader, and I’m here to show support as a white athlete.”
Carr’s message was a different, simpler one.
“I’m not a politician, I’m not anything like that,” Carr said. “I’m not trying to be a spokesperson. All I’m trying to show these kids (who look up to athletes) is that I love everybody. And all Khalil was trying to do is show these kids that he loves everybody as well.”
“We’re free to live here and play this game, but we’re also free to show each other that we love one another.” Derek Carr, Raiders quarterback