It’s hard to have a coherent conversation with somebody who decries oppression of people of color with his lips, yet wears the t-shirt of a brutal oppressor in admiration.
And so with Colin Kaepernick, you’ll have to excuse enough holes in his logic to make for a good cheese grater.
You see, something is wrong in America, therefore standing politely in front of the flag at the anthem is an endorsement of all that is wrong, and there is no good, no redemption represented in the ol’ stars and stripes.
Or something.
You should go read Kaep’s twitter feed. You’ll get a good idea of where he gets his world view from. Little 140 character snippets of information (much of it, factually incorrect) and one-sided article links. Thought he seems to dislike Hillary Clinton almost as much as Donald Trump. So there’s that!
But look, let’s put aside Kaep’s career-ending suicide mission for a moment. Let’s just focus on what you actually have a “right” to do in this wonderful country of ours.
Those rights do NOT include the “right” to co-opt a professional sports league’s game-presentation ceremony of the Star Spangled Banner for your personal causes by way of a conspicuous demonstration.
True. Kaep has been given *permission* by the NFL – and it’s a huge mistake, in my opinion – who said it is not (currently) a requirement to stand for the anthem. But permissions are not “rights.” Just like Kaep doesn’t have the right to wear his socks below his ankles, or put tape on his facemask. Or refuse to speak to the media, or wear non-league-approved logoed athletic apparell at the stadium on game day.
He has no such “rights” in those cases, he doesn’t even have “permission.” That’s why Merton Hanks is the sock police.
The NFL, like any employer, calls the shots in their place of work.
Funny, because the NBA dealt with this silly thing 20 years ago when they suspended and fined Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf one game check for refusing to stand. Standing for the anthem is now the law of the NBA land, which is ironic given that the NBA is the most liberal leaning pro league we have.
Kaep has an ocean of free time and plenty of star-power on his own, to organize, protest, rally, and draw attention to whatever causes he likes. From the day his football year ends, until the start of training camp, he can do whatever he wants.
Those defending his sit-down during the national anthem are wrong. Period. Kaep is being rude, disrespectful, selfish, and woefully ill-informed. He’s also signing his own NFL death warrant.
For a league that is so quick to discipline players for offensive behavior (Geno Smith for flipping off mouthy Jets fans, or a back-up Dolphins safety for tweeting “Ewwww” on draft day when Michael Sam kissed his boyfriend on TV) the fact that millions of Americans are offended by Kaepernick apparently means nothing.
It makes the league’s already shameful pandering to the armed force in November, even more shallow.
5 Comments
Don
Well said. So many other ways to express your frustration with events in the country that gave you EVERYTHING you have.
Mark
My first thought was where was he during the whole off-season? He could’ve gone many places and organized/led many protests. Apparently, that would’ve been too inconvenient. Let’s just say he’s no Jim Brown or Muhammad Ali.
Derek
Did he just realize before week 3 of the preseason there were injustices? I don’t recall this being an issue the first two weeks. Or, did he realize he was on the bubble (because he sucks at football) and needed something to prevent the team from cutting him? And if he truly feels there are injustices, what the hell is sitting during the National Anthem going to accomplish? Go out and actually do something that will bring about change.
johnny domino
Kaep is going to spend enough time on the bench, you’d think he’d want to stand up every chance he gets.
Brad Spring
Steve, I have followed your evolution on the importance of sports as it relates to the life. I am surprised by your hard line on not standing for the National Anthem. Two things: 1) you applaud the playing of the anthem early in the women’s soccer game to take away Rapinoe’s protest? How about all of the other players that enjoy standing for the anthem? Shouldn’t you be upset for them? 2) Why do we play the National Anthem before sports games, period? Take up that ridiculousness. Glad you eat greens, by the way.