Colin Kaepernick (1987- ), an American football player, is a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. In 2013 he led them to the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL) championship. This past week he has been all over the news in the US for – not standing during a song, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
Americans, from the time they are schoolchildren, are taught to stand and face the flag during “The Star-Spangled Banner”, the US national song.
Kaepernick:
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. 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.”
White racists on Twitter went nuts, calling him the N-word and all that. Fans were burning his red #7 jersey:
It seemed like everyone except Hillary Clinton had an opinion.
Kaepernick’s birth mother:
“There’s ways to make change w/o disrespecting & bringing shame to the very country & family who afforded you so many blessings.”
Donald Trump:
“I think it’s a terrible thing, and you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try. It won’t happen.”
The Santa Clara police union:
“If the 49ers organization fails to take action to stop this type of inappropriate workplace behavior, it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities.”
President Obama, by way of his press secretary, Josh Earnest:
“Even as objectionable as we find his perspective, he certainly is entitled to express them.”
Harry Belafonte:
“When a Black voice is raised in protest to oppression, those who are comfortable with our oppression are the first to criticize us for daring to speak out against it.”
Boyce Watkins:
“You got a whole lot of Black men who can throw touchdowns, very few Black men who can become similar to another Muhammad Ali … right now in my mind Colin is the greatest in the NFL.”
Muhammad Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam War even though it got him kicked out of boxing. Kaepernick likewise knows this could get him kicked out of football.
White fragility: Deep down most White people know he is right. That is why many get so upset – and make it about everything except police brutality: his tactics, his wealth, his rights, his supposed lack of respect for the military, etc. When they do bring up police brutality, it is only to play it down.
White paternalism: Many also see him through a lens of White paternalism: How dare you! After all we have done for you! How ungrateful! Leave if you do not like it here. How come no one talks like that to Donald Trump? He too is rich and yet complains. How ungrateful. He too should leave.
Protest grows: Teammate Eric Reid and Jeremy Lane of the Seattle Seahawks are no longer standing either.
– Abagond, 2016.
See also:
- The Star-Spangled Banner – it has a racist history, but Kaepernick may not have known that.
- Black athletes and protest:
- Muhammad Ali
- John Carlos – he and Tommie Smith gave a Black Power salute during “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1968 Olympics.
- Andrew Hawkins
- Mizzou protest
- White fragility
- White paternalism
- The N-word
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I am just loving this guy these days I think he’s courageous. I am disgusted with his birth mother who was on social media making disparaging remarks about him shame on her. I read that she put him up for adoption so why is she even speaking? She needs to be quiet. In my opinion he is Colin The Courageous. I might even buy a jersey with his number and name just for the heck of it.
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“…his supposed lack of respect for the military, etc.” That’s a bad thing? Anybody not wearing blinders knows that soldiers, thugs who rape and pillage in the name of society. The cops have been an occupying army in U.S ghettos.
“Kaepernick’s birth mother:
“There’s ways to make change w/o disrespecting & bringing shame to the very country & family who afforded you so many blessings.””
His reply should be: “Thanks mom, where the hell were you the last 29 years? What makes you think you have the moral right to lecture me on anything?”
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Mary, buying his jersey is a great idea. How about a million jersey campaign?
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As long as black people or people of color are singing and dancing and doing other things for the amusement of the dominant culture things are just hunky dory, then when said black people or people of color do or say what the dominant culture objects to then there will be hell to pay. I say the dominant culture can kick rocks in h3ll with open toe shoes on. It’s time black people stop working to appease them and we speak our minds according to our conscience. If Kaepernick didn’t want to stand during the national anthem that should be his or anyone else’s right if they don’t want to.
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@gro jo: I think someone is doing it already.
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S**t like this literally makes me seethe. How dare anyone have the opinion that he should not sit if that’s his choice. It’s hardly the crime of the century. His reasons are admirable.
His Mother’s a worthless piece of fame tourist-attentionwhore.
I wouldn’t expect anything less from that pea brained thing that calls himself a human, Trump (Trump means fart in England and it suits him well. He’s not even a sh*t, just a fart).
Obama should be ashamed, his skin colour is just a disguise he wears.
Good boy Kaepernick, if I was your Mother I would be so proud of you. Lets hope this paves the way for many others.
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Why are police so sensitive. One guy out of 106 players on the field any given Sunday says something they don’t like and the police union is boycotting. I’m going out on a limb and saying there will be no boycott. Working 49ers games has to be the easiest money these guys make.
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gro jo
“How about a million jersey campaign?”
The selling of a million football jerseys would benefit whom, financially??
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I’m of the opinion that more players should join him. They should make it a campaign. What’s more, if possible and safe for a person to do it, all Black people should join in. As many as possible.
Although I have to ask myself how many white people in the stands are standing during the anthem? How manyof them in the bathroom, or waiting at the concession stand, or texting, while it plays?
I like what he’s doing. He has made it perfectly clear why he’s doing it. It’s a pointed and elegant rebuke to this country.
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“Fan …
gro jo
“How about a million jersey campaign?”
The selling of a million football jerseys would benefit whom, financially??”
The usual gang of thieves and hucksters. The point being that it would show support for CK.
Zoe Jordan
Why should Obama be ashamed? What has he said that you find objectionable?
“President Obama, by way of his press secretary, Josh Earnest:
“Even as objectionable as we find his perspective, he certainly is entitled to express them.””
You didn’t expect him to come out with a ringing endorsement now did you?
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“If the 49ers organization fails to take action to stop this type of inappropriate workplace behavior”
According to your local police union:
– sitting during the National Anthem is inappropriate workplace behavior
– shooting unarmed men, women, and children is appropriate workplace behavior and rewarded by a paid vacation
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@Ikeke35: Right on Sis.💯👏🏾
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@ gro jo
Because. yes, he should support him. His statement (or more likely the statement that someone wrote for him) sounds suspiciously like a roundabout condemnation to me. ‘ as objectionable as we find his perspective’… Who is ‘we’, is he speaking for every person in your country? I see at least 7 people who don’t find Kaepernicks actions objectionable on my screen right now. Why is it objectionable to make a stand against injustice and speak the truth about the police?
Obama could have done so much for black people and ethnic minorities with his time in office but instead he chose to do nothing. How can such brutality towards black people exist in a country governed by a black man? It doesn’t make sense.
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“Obama could have done so much for black people and ethnic minorities with his time in office but instead he chose to do nothing. How can such brutality towards black people exist in a country governed by a black man? It doesn’t make sense.”
The naïveté expressed in your statement obliges me to ask you how old you are. The head of a government with the power and will to obliterate human civilization should be some kind of Santa Claus because he’s black? Get real.
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@ Kiwi
I don’t know of any political regimes where a minority white governor allows the minority white citizens to be murdered by a black police force in a way that the black majority is not. Or even just allows their fellow white minority people to be treated like second class citizens and not afforded the same rights and opportunities as the majority black.
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@ gro jo
I do believe that one of Obamas pre election promises was to put an end to the obliteration of human civilisation so clearly he is a lair and therefore not to be trusted. But that was not the issue being discussed at this moment. I don’t think one has to be Santa Claus to condemn the murder of black citizens by the police and as he is black himself I would have thought it was something he would care about but he doesn’t. I think the American public voted him in believing he is a caring man, I wonder if he would change if one of his daughters become one of those victims.
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@Zoe Jordan
“…as he [Obama] is black himself…”
Obama may be Black under the American “one drop rule”, but he was raised in White/Asian family, community and cultural environments. He did not grow up hearing Black oral histories or Black family members grousing day to day about what happened on “The Plantation” (work and other public places Black people have to deal with White officials).
Obama never had to sit through a Black parent or Black male relative give him “the Talk”, where Black adults try to prepare their male children to survive in a hostile society. Obama may have even been lucky enough not to have had a serious encounter (gun drawn on him, lots of yelling of slurs and curses…or worse) with police as a young man. Obama never saw his father endure such a situation.
In short, Obama never went through growing up as a Black boy or man in this country. There is a whole level of understanding about Black life in America he lacks—–and it shows.
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So Trump can state everything that’s wrong with America in the hopes to “make it great again” and run for President. Colin peacefully protests things wrong in this country and gets threats, his jersey burned and an entire police force union threatening to not manage 49ers games if he doesn’t apologize. Interesting country we live in…
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An easy way to show support for CK is to buy crap with his name and number on it. Money matters!
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Sales of Colin’s jersey have exploded since his protest. Nice!
http://www.sportsgrid.com/real-sports/nfl/kaepernick-jersey-sales-have-exploded-since-anthem-protest-began/
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@bygodsloveandgrace: That’s fantastic news👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿💯
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@Mary… Agree.. Did you see Colin’s post-game press conference? It’s worth the watch. He rips apart the media spin point by point and highlights in more detail what he’s protesting.. Additionally, he announced donating $1 million of his salary to support organizations fighting injustice. Let’s see how many other athletes follow suit.
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@bygodsloveandgrace: I didn’t see his press conference but I think I read where he was donating a huge amount of money to support organizations that fight social injustices. He’s a beautiful brother. God bless him.
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@Afrofem,
I really can see Obama more comfortable around Indonesians then he is with any other group of people. It’s his right given his circumstances of how he was raised.
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@TeddyBearDaddy
I agree with you. Indonesians and Americans in the state of Hawaii.
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Has President Obama addressed the genocide of black people in West Papua – a genocide ignited by the Indonesians?
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Found this in a comment section in an ESPN article (not my comment but very thoughtful).
Okay. Black people protest and destroy sh!t:
White people: “Look at those animals destroying private property.
“It’s all lawlessness.”
“They should protest peacefully without acting like thugs and animals.”
Kapernick sits doesn’t say a word. Protests peacefully.
White people: “Not like that.”
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@ villagewriter
Exactly!
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“An easy way to show support for CK is to buy crap with his name and number on it. Money matters!”
.
I disagree gro jo if it starts and ends with buying “crap.”
What about putting our money to better use, like building and naming a private school (ie CK Institute of Technology) for Black children – named after or dedicated to CK? Or some other beneficial/positive endeavor?
Money does matter. That’s why we should use our money for constructive pursuits that lends support towards what CK is doing. Enriching random profiteers and hucksters is not the way to benefit CK and Black people’s overall knowledge/education.
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Fan …
Terribly ‘politically correct’ of you, I would expect no less from a habitué of Abagond’s fine salon. Let’s get real, we all have a line item in our budgets for “crap”, otherwise, millions would be unemployed. All I’m suggesting here is a redeployment of that money to buy crap with CK’s name attached to it to show his employers we support him.
“Money does matter. That’s why we should use our money for constructive pursuits that lends support towards what CK is doing. Enriching random profiteers and hucksters is not the way to benefit CK and Black people’s overall knowledge/education.”
Fan…, I. Love. Your. Wicked. Sense. Of. Humor. Let me know when you’ll open your constructive project, I’ll be tempted to throw a buck or two your way. Meanwhile, you might want to contribute to caesar Sant’s battle against sickle cell. https://www.gofundme.com/You-can-help-Caesar-Sant
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@Mary Burrell
“I am disgusted with his birth mother who was on social media making disparaging remarks about him shame on her. ”
+1 Absolutely disgusting. But can’t be surprised. Reminds me just how many white parents sold their own mixed children down the river.
@gro jo
Nike shareholders thank you for your free services.
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Let me know when you’ll open your constructive project, I’ll be tempted to throw a buck or two your way.
gro jo
Football jerseys (crap) often sell for about a hundred a piece, and all you can do for a constructive project is give a buck or two?? My, my… you truly are quite the contrarian after all! lol
Me politically correct??
I’m probably one of the most non-politically correct persons on the planet.
I most definitely don’t spend any disposable income for the benefit of others’ employment.
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In addition to poster Village Writer we march they get mad, we protest they get mad, we sit down they get mad, we die and they are silent.
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One way to show immediate support for Colin Kaepernick besides/instead of buying a jersey: write or e-mail the 49ers management and let them know he has your support. Keep management backing him up by showing public approval for his protest and his practice of his constitutional rights.
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@Mary Burell
Seems like their problem is not the violence. In real life, whenever people are pushed to the wall when appropriate channels of communication are blocked they resort to violence. But in America it seems protest is frowned upon and that is a bad thing. In France ( I cant believe I am using them as an example) whenever their elite want to make their lives miserable they protest, and protest violently to ensure that their demands are met.
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@Solitare: That sounds like a great idea I think I may do that.
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@villagewriter: That’s pretty insightful and enlightening I didn’t know that.
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“I most definitely don’t spend any disposable income for the benefit of others’ employment.
My sincerest apology, I should have known that a being as enlightened as you would never spend a nickle on anything but the most essential, so instead of addressing you, my comment should be to the common folks here.
No comment on the kid with sickle cell? I hope it’s not because you are too tight with a buck. No doubt, you’ve discovered a treatment for his ailment that you will provide, gratis, to all like him. Let me be the first to thank you for the good you are and will do for humanity.
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@ Mary Burrell
Now that I think about it, add to the list the NFL commissioners, ESPN, and whatever other stations broadcast football games.
You know they are getting flooded with outraged e-mails, phone calls, tweets, etc. from angry white folks demanding they make that uppity ___ behave or else they’ll stop buying tickets, etc.
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@ villagewriter
But is that true in France when it is racial minorities or religious minorities protesting in the streets?
Protesting is frowned upon in the U.S. more than it used to be (we actually have a long history of public protest and it’s protected in the Constitution), but pay attention and you’ll notice that the protests which draw the most criticism and anger are ones like Black Lives Matter.
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“@gro jo
Nike shareholders thank you for your free services.”
What for? too many cheap bastards here.
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@ Everyone
What I do is compare this country in its current state to what is going on in Asia. Cambodia, where my parents are from, seem to have a monarchy and president that allies itself with terrible North Korea and have been so since 1965. In my mind that makes the horrible genocide of 3/4 of my relatives non-apologetic. I’ve never visited and don’t plan to because of this. I would stand up for the national anthem but I do understand why some don’t.
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@Solitare
When it involves only minorities then the protests are criticized. But when it is a protest called by unions then Paris turns into a war zone and politicians obey the will of protestors. We got rid of our dictator through protest and when people started disappearing the protests only grew wilder. He eventually let go of power.
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@gro jo: I remember this little one I was so moved to tears because I thought he was so adorable. I had no idea this baby was suffering like this I went to his go fund me page and I would definitely consider donating something. He speaks I believe seven languages. God bless him.
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@Mary Burrell
” we march they get mad, we protest they get mad, we sit down they get mad, we die and they are silent.”
So profound! Thank you.
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@ Kiwi
Well, yes except that I don’t exactly know what you mean when you say …’As soon as that power goes, the same situation plays out.’
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@villagewriter
“We got rid of our dictator through protest and when people started disappearing the protests only grew wilder. He eventually let go of power.”
I remember reading about the intense repression of that parasite D. Arap Moi. He caused so much needless suffering. I’m glad the Kenyan people kicked him to the curb.
Politicians and the media stonewall and pretend that protest doesn’t matter, but they always keep a careful eye on protests of every type. All protests have an impact on the Powers That Be.
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“We got rid of our dictator through protest and when people started disappearing the protests only grew wilder. He eventually let go of power.”
@villagewriter
Ah.. but did he let go of the death grip he had on the treasury??
Dictators and governments are funny like that! At least y’all got rid of the bum.
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I really don’t see how people have such low ‘facial’ IQ.. This dude looks ‘white’ more than anything else. If he feels the way he feels then good for him. Just means that a ‘mostly’ white person sees the plight of other peoples. Geeze.
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@Kiwi
The major fallacy in your argument is that colored society has learned from the past to a certain degree. Hence why blacks could forgive the Dylan Roofs for slaughtering their parents or loved ones. I’ve seen brutalized pure African Black Americans that were just a generation or 2 old and frail accept and treat the great grand children that still practice Klansmenship as dinner guests in a debate over Southern Comfort Foods.. There are far more many blacks that don’t hold that type of superior narcissism and hate that some whites seem to carry about themselves. The same situation will not play out because of this…
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Something for the paranoid on this blog:https://www.wired.com/2016/09/baltimore-became-americas-testbed-surveillance-tech/
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Hey Abagond , I was barely born when this happened. But Ed Snyder, who basically founded Comcast , and absolutely founded and owned the Philadelphia Flyers; I’m told that he wan’t a fan of the Vietnam War. So instead of playing the Star Spangled Banner at Flyers games, He instead chose “God Bless America”, and did it with a sense of pizazz and class, and had the very famous Kate Smith sing the song. It caught on because not only did the Flyers win back to back Stanley Cups in ’74 and ’75, but everytime she sang the song the Flyers seemed to always win. I don’t know what the exact stats were, but they won at least 80% of the time she sang the song or something. Now they did the National Anthem as well. But I was told that original intent of this was a silent protest by Snyder himself , who got tired of seeing body bags come home from ‘Nam. Please fact check if you want though, because you are definitely better at that than me. I work from memory.
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Here’s good ole’ Kate Smith here. (https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=exRO6mjHBkA)
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Just saw this:
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That image came from Dave Zirin’s twitter account. The text with it is:
Marcus Peters of the Chiefs, raising his fist during anthem. Dissent – especially in this NFL climate, – is brave.
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@Afrofem: That’s a nice share thanks for that. I hope the whole NFL and NBA starts kneeling and raising their fist. I hope it spreads like a wildfire and a movement is birthed.
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“Mary Burrell
@gro jo: I remember this little one I was so moved to tears because I thought he was so adorable. I had no idea this baby was suffering like this I went to his go fund me page and I would definitely consider donating something. He speaks I believe seven languages. God bless him.”
Glad to read this.
“Mary Burrell
@Afrofem: That’s a nice share thanks for that. I hope the whole NFL and NBA starts kneeling and raising their fist. I hope it spreads like a wildfire and a movement is birthed.”
Great! Did you purchase the jersey as you said you would above? “In my opinion he is Colin The Courageous. I might even buy a jersey with his number and name just for the heck of it.”
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@ Afrofem
What does it mean to raise ur fist in that way during the national anthem?
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@Zoe Jordan
Black Power Salute. Defiance. Protest.
Tommy Smith and John Carlos did the same thing at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Both men below:
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2012/3/28/1332936684595/OLYMPICS-BLACK-POWER-SALU-008.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=3ff7b12226c1041e90dd79ea4bbc6063
Both men paid a heavy price. History.com describes their act and the aftermath:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/olympic-protestors-stripped-of-their-medals
Abagond wrote of John Carlos:
“…good manners and sportsmanship, which are so highly valued in the United States…” What a hoot! LOL!
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“Zoe Jordan
@ Afrofem
What does it mean to raise ur fist in that way during the national anthem?”
Read this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
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Google: The 1968 Olympics Black Power salute, Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
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@gro jo: Yes I did it’s from Amazon for $15.95😍
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@gro jo: It’s Cranberry and says “I Stand With Kaepernick.”
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@ Zoe Jordan
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@ Afrofem: Wicked answer!
@ Everyone: Thanks for the info, I know so little! It’s cool. U should all do it every time you hear the Anthem. Get your kids to do it at school, even if you’re white to show you support your black cousins and you won’t stand for their horrendous treatment anymore.
I might buy a jersey for my boyfriend, even tho he’s born here he has a lot of family in the states and black people here feel very effected by what’s happening over there, There have been masses of black lives matters protests all over Europe. I’d get a jersey too but I’d probably look like a bit of a dick in it!
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Hang on, I’m pretty sure all the posts just changed!? One just disappeared from Afrofem, no?
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@ Zoe Jordan
There were some comments in moderation. Those are here now. The comment by Afrofem about her comment being in moderation I deleted.
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@ Abagond; Oh, I was well confused!
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“When you’re not in power, the only option you have is to forgive. The aftermath of the Haitian Revolution, for example, tells me that “colored society” doesn’t learn from the past.”
Who died and made you an ‘expert’ on the Haitian Revolution? Stick to your self-pitying bs. In power, all men were made citizens with the same rights. White people like the Phipps, the Mallets, Clériés, the Polish soldiers sent to restore slavery under false pretenses, etc. were granted full citizenship. The only place in the western hemisphere at that time where everybody could be a citizen without regard to race. The nostalgic ones for the good old days of slavery were put to the sword. Just because you’re a racist a–hole doesn’t make everybody one.
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“@ gro jo
Not sure how the horrors of St. Domingo constituted an act of forgiveness.”
War criminals don’t get to claim forgiveness.
Since 1794, the citizens of St-Domingue and Guadeloupe had the same rights as any French citizen living in France. They were represented in the French legislature, the army and other institutions.
After his coup d’état, Bonaparte proceeded to rob the nonwhite citizens of their citizenship rights that they gained by first smashing the slave system in 1791 and forcing emancipation on the government as the price for fighting and defeating Britain and Spain from 1793 to 1798.
Having secured the realm, some whites deemed it appropriate that things should return to the good old days prior to 1791!
Haiti exists because the free people of St-Domingue refused to bend the knee to the tyrant Bonaparte.
The fact that you have the nerve to talk about ‘forgiveness’ tells me that you’d tolerate whatever outrage whites see fit to impose on you. I don’t know the Chinese equivalent of an uncle Tom, but you write like the poster boy for the type
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@Gro Jo
“I don’t know the Chinese equivalent of an uncle Tom, but you write like the poster boy for the type.”—Its called uncle wong.
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Thanks, sharinalr.
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“Yes, but women and children do. Yet they were put to the sword all the same during the horrors of St. Domingo in 1804. So much for Blacks being the vanguards of human liberation.”
Boot lickers like you always bring 1804 up. I guess it escaped your high moral standard that black women and children were slaughtered by French soldiers and civilians prior to 1804 for more than a century. Hey, they were just ni–ers, right?
How about Ferrand’s decree to capture and enslave black women and children after 1804? No doubt in your moral universe it was wrong of Dessalines to invade what is now the Dominican Republic and destroy a good deal of the French army still squatting there.
Wax indignant over the fact that he used a scorch earth policy when he quit that territory, I’m only sorry he didn’t finish the bastards off.
Out of a population of five hundred thousand, at least one hundred thousand were slaughtered in the most barbaric ways.
No, not even the wives and children of these butchers deserved forgiveness. You are just sorry that in this instance the blacks won.
Chinese ass kissers like you are of no interest to me. Regardless of your opinion, they were the vanguards of human liberation.
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@gro jo
+1 One of those rare instances I fully agree with something you said. Keep it up.
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“Kiwi
@ gro jo
So in your view, one wrong justifies another wrong. You’ll have to live with that.”
I do, 24/7. A word of advice, if you want me to take you seriously, first get your lips away from the collective white butt, that way you won’t sound like you’re talking shit.
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I don’t know what the f happened to my original reply, so here’s a new one.
“@ gro jo
So in your view, one wrong justifies another wrong. You’ll have to live with that.”
You Mongoloid idiot, I see that you are innumerate. The scale is more like tens of million wrongs to several thousand.
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What the hell is going on, why have my replies been censored?
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Just saw this on Think Progress regarding the widening protests inspired by Kaepernick:
Lindsay Gibbs of Think Progress reports:
https://thinkprogress.org/national-anthem-sports-protest-tracker-kaepernick-284ff1d1ab3e#.i140cxdln
Basketball season could be really interesting if this spreads.
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David Steele of Sporting News talks about how Kaepernick’s critics have been largely silent in the wake of the murder of unarmed 40-year-old Terence Crutcher. Steele reports:
http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/colin-kaepernick-critics-silence-tulsa-police-shooting-video-unarmed-trent-dilfer-drew-brees/3ctygu5rh54v1t5vi2wkl47gd
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In my city one of the suburban high schools the girls volleyball team are kneeling and the school and community supports them. This is a middle class African American community and the media reported it and the Fox News affiliate in this city it was all the whites getting all in a tizzy saying the black high school students are being disrespectful to the military. These kids are not being disrespectful in fact they want this country to be better than what it is. The fact that there has been four murders across the country is the reason for Kaepernick’s protest. I hope everybody especially black people start kneeling.
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Then I read Colin has gotten death threats I am not surprised by this either. Until white Americans acknowledge that black lives matter we will keep seeing the list of unarmed black men grow exponentially. I admire Colin for his bravery.
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@ Mary Burrell
Death threats? Really? Oh my God! F***ing crazy! cop murders a little boy and gets a holiday. A young man chooses to silently sit down and kids kneel and they get death threats. I have Texan friends on Face Book and the absolute rubbish they have been posting this year is beyond stupid. One Person posted about his disgust at the US flags flying half mast for Ali when he died and one of this guys buddies responded that if Ali didn’t want to fight in Vietnam he should have ‘gone back’ to Africa. He also said the ONLY American hero’s are solders! I didn’t want to disrespect my friend but I had to respond to this absolute ridiculousness with a few home truths. There is a massive faction of (hurts me to say it but, white) people in your country who are politically so STUPID. Everything is so twisted around, I don’t know how you all will untangle it.
I’m not trying to say it’s perfect here by any means. Of course we have racists, racist crime and racist murder but nothing like on the scale you do.
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@Zoe Jordan
If you actually lived in the States and observed the extreme amount of propaganda and fear mongering that all Americans are subjected to daily, you would understand the lunacy you see from afar.
It hurts to see way too many of my fellow citizens afraid of their shadows, constantly in pain because of a collapsed healthcare system and unable to reason themselves out of a paper bag.
I can only hope we find a way out of the pit we’ve fallen into….
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It is our first amendment right to protest peacefully.
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“I can only hope we find a way out of the pit we’ve fallen into….”
@Afrofem
Almost 8 years ago Obomb’em former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, tried to issue a wake-up call to Amerika, but no one was trying to hear that. The nation since had many opportunities to change its course but chose not to.
There was once an anti-war/protest movement (Iraqi & Afghanistan wars) but those somehow became compromised/passe and the people ceased their protest marches and stopped standing up to the self-interested politicians – and it’s been a steady downhill slide ever since. Yes, there is few and powerful club that run the country, but they couldn’t do it without our compliance, inaction, and looking the other way… assuming they even look at all.
The Most High is the only way out of this pit. But since most folks can’t seem to wrap their minds or hearts around a righteous and just Creator, Amerika won’t be climbing out of the hole it made for itself… in my opinion.
There will be a lot of hungry and angry pigeons coming home – to roost.
Sowing and reaping …
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@Fan: I was what a coincidence you should mention Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s God Damn America speech I was thinking about that when I first learned of the shooting of the young 13 year old T’yre King in Ohio and then Terrence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma and then the brother in Charlotte Mr. Scott sitting in his vehicle reading a book while waiting for his kid to get out of school. And he gets shot by a police officer who is also a black man. I wish these white people would get upset about the deaths of these black men instead of losing their minds about one man kneeling during the national anthem.
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*I was wondering what a coincidence * typo^^^^
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” I wish these white people would get upset about the deaths of these black men instead of losing their minds about one man kneeling during the national anthem.”
Mary,
I hope you’re not holding your breath while waiting on that wish.
If the cops were murdering cats and dogs like they are annihilating unarmed Black people, there would be a great number of UPSET white people.
P.S. I don’t believe in coincidences. 🙂
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@Fan
“they couldn’t do it without our compliance, inaction, and looking the other way…”
True. Yet, you have to think about how we got to this point. Decades of fear mongering, media propaganda, mobilizing resentment of one group against others.
A fish rots from the head down.
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Fan
‘If the cops were murdering cats and dogs like they are annihilating unarmed Black people, there would be a great number of UPSET white people.’
Ha! Funny you should say that. I do work for dog charities and also belong to a lot of German Shepherd owners groups (Being one) – an owner not a dog! And yes, people in America (predominantly white women) go crazy over dog cruelty. They demand life imprisonment for people who abuse or kill dogs and have the most violent reactions. I totally abhor cruelty to animals and think punishment is right but hey! don’t turn a blind eye to the weekly murders of your fellow country men by your police. Ridiculous to care about dogs but not innocent people.
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@Zoe
Here in the states I recall people insisting on pro football quarterback, Michael Vick’s conviction and jail time for dog fighting while giving war criminal (lying about yellow cake uranium + weapons of mass destruction) George W Bush a pass for all the horrors and deaths his fake War on Terror wrought on the people of Iraq. Saddam and the Iraqi people had absolutely nothing to do with the *attacks* on 9-11.
Don’t forget the idiots who saw Harambe’s (the gorilla) life as more valuable than than the Black child who wandered into the gorilla’s cage.
There was also a huge US outcry for a lion (Oscar?) hunted and killed in Africa more so than the murder of an unarmed Black man put down by the cops.
The US has a long history of valuing animals more than it does Black people. I don’t see that changing.
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Canned hunting… Raising an animal with the purpose of shooting it. Oh wait! That sounds familiar!
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“Thank you for showing your true racist colors once again. Not only do you condone violence against other races, you use dehumanizing slurs to describe them.”
You really are stupid. You already knew that.
Since I like you, let me give you some solid advice. You are wrong in your belief that: “When you’re not in power, the only option you have is to forgive.” How stupid are you? Have you not heard of Nat Turner, Francois Makandal, and the December 7, 1993 LIRR massacre? Even without power, blacks have not always forgiven, as you erroneously assume. Ok uncle Wong, let’s do this again next week.
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“@ gro jo
I would be curious to know whether you actually call Asians you meet in your daily life “Mongoloid”, “Uncle Wong”, or “sweatshop workers” to their face. Something tells me you’re too cowardly. But at least the Asians you know can be glad you know the difference between a respectable Asian and a ch–k.”
I was wondering the same about you.
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“City Councilman Jumaane Williams has been targeted with racist hate mail since he refused in protest to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Brooklyn Democrat got one letter calling him a “f—ing plantation monkey.”
“Plantation owner should have aborted your great-grandmother. You sit during the pledge — well hope you have an accident that causes such physical trauma you will not be able to stand or kneel,” read the letter obtained by the Daily News.
Williams remained seated with his head bowed in prayer when the pledge was recited at the opening of a City Council meeting earlier this month.
City Councilman Williams sits during Pledge to protest injustice
He said he wanted to protest killings of black men by police in addition to other injustices, and show solidarity with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has taken a knee during the national anthem.
The backlash against Williams included another hate-spewing note that said the protest “brings attention to how pathetic some if not most Blacks are.”
The writer went on to rant about affirmative action and rap music and wrote, “Black parents wait (some pray) that a son will get shot by a cop; of course he was on his way to college or usually church. This is called Payday for them. The ghetto lottery. What’s one kid when they usually have 6-8 maybe 10.”
Williams said the blatantly racist missives just go to show how much there is to protest.
Standing for the ideal that the flag represents our highest goals
“It just underscores that we really haven’t gone as far as we think we have on these issues,” he said. “People try to pretend we’re past that in this country, and we’re not.”
Another note sent to his office contained an article about his sitting out the pledge with the message “Drop dead you f—” scrawled over it.
Williams said he has long declined to recite the pledge but always stood out of respect, and has now decided to make his private protest public.
“I feel sorry for someone who can’t even see how illogical it is what they’re saying,” Williams said. “They’re walking around with so much anger in their hearts. It’s a disappointing thing, but that’s what we’re dealing with.””
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” I didn’t change you. I’m just bringing out the nasty, racist true self that was inside of you all along.”
Not only are you innumerate, you are a plagiarist as well. You are paraphrasing what I said about you in our previous encounters! I’m flattered to see that I’ve had some influence on you.
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@Fan…
Wow!!!
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@Fan…
Can you imagine that much of that nonsense was spewed by someone “educated”. 6-8 kids? Maybe 10? Not according to this study and reality.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/05/07/family-size-among-mothers/
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Yet another example of Kiwi derailing the thread to make irrelevant, phony “anti-Asian” claims. S/he’s officially worse than Lord of Mirkwood.
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@ Sharina
“Can you imagine that much of that nonsense was spewed by someone “educated”.
If an educated person spewed that, then having an education might be grossly overrated… or underrated.
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Kaepernick on the debates:
“To me, it was embarrassing to watch that these are our two candidates,” Kaepernick said Tuesday. “Both are proven liars and it almost seems like they’re trying to debate who’s less racist. And at this point, talking with one of my friends, it was, you have to pick the lesser of two evils, but in the end, it’s still evil.”
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“And at this point, talking with one of my friends, it was, you have to pick the lesser of two evils …”
.
This is the part I have never understood.. why does one have to pick evil at all?? Is there an invisible force or entity FORCING voters to choose a candidate who doesn’t represent their interests?
My (odd) logic dictates it is better to choose no devil at all than to choose another (lesser?) devil.
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Just read a series of articles by Dave Zirin at the blog, Edge of Sports.
One of them discussed recent comments by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lambasting Colin Kaepernick for protesting state violence against Black people.
Zirin quoted Justice Ginsburg:
Zirin responds:
Best of all in Kaepernick’s response to Justice Ginsburg’s criticism:
http://www.edgeofsports.com/2016-10-12-1195/index.html/
The other two article are also worth a look:
‘The Woke Tailgate’: The Brave of Buffalo Kneel in Solidarity With Colin Kaepernick
Sports and Laying Siege to Racism in Seattle
Justice Ginsburg’s comments are an indication that White Supremacy is widespread and systemic in the US. One of the most “liberal” justices gets riled up by a non-violent protest that affirms Black lives. When the police gun down Black citizens, it’s crickets and the rustle of tall grass from the White majority.
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Hundreds of Kaepernick supporters threaten boycott of NFL in rally at NFL headquarters if Kaepernick is not signed to a team:
(http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=20437731)
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I am glad Kaep is getting support I hope the boycott is successful.
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In the words of Pastor Jamal Bryant “The NFL doesn’t care if black football players get a concussion they care about black players getting a conscience.” Amen.
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I see Colin Kapernick just got GQ Citizen of the Year
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOhbbXqV4AUih2Q.jpg:large
I think Kap and a younger Jay Leno were lost at birth.
Put darker skin JL and an afro. We got a match !
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I see Colin Kapernick just got GQ Citizen of the Year
I think Kap and a younger Jay Leno were lost at birth.
Put darker skin JL and an afro. We got a match
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White folks burning their Nike gear because they are angry that Nike is using Kaepernick in their ad campaign. This is too funny Nike already has their money. Hatred sure does make these bigots stupid.
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I bought my very first “Just Do It” t-shirt yesterday!
#NotAllWhitePeople
Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Yeah, I read that last night about people cutting logos off socks and stuff. I bought Nike stock today too.
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I saw this earlier today and thought it pretty much summed things up:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Tmillerpoetry/status/1036791856451989505
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Jay-z aligns himself with NFL and securing a money grab. The NFL and Jay-Z talk about social justice and leaves Kaepernick out of the equation. Something is not right about this. Don’t know what Jay-z’s long game is. The NFL are racist hypocrites and big time Trump supporters. I hope Jay-Z is not throwing Kaepernick under the bus.
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@ Mary
Jay-Z is a sell-out, simple as that. Same as Oprah. They are billionaires. This is how they are.
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Billionaires, by their very nature, are corrupt to their core.
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Kaepernick had the bad luck of having a white girl for his mother.
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What’s your excuse?
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#StillWithKap
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I learned today is the day that Kaepernick is having a workout for the NFL. I hope Kaep is in good physical shape and impressive enough to get signed to a team. I was reading on Twitter that this is just a PR stunt on their end, hope this is not true. Jay-Z is a rat that threw Kap under the bus.
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