Colin Kaepernick did the right thing

Editor Entertainment, Leading Stories, Sports 04/06/2020

Black celebs like Jay Z and Beyonce aren’t doing nearly enough in the fight for justice.

The former NFL player who was first to take a knee paid for his protest with his career. It seems other black stars are fearful of losing theirs if their response to US’s race war is anything to go by.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 26: Beyonce and Jay-Z attend the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

The eruption of civil disorder across the USA leads back to one man: Colin Kaepernick. He was a star in the NFL, a quarterback who used his speed to run with the ball to thrilling effect.

His profile was significant, as you would expect of one of the leading players of a sport that is ingrained in America’s DNA.

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But he hasn’t played since 2016, when he ripped up a $126 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Kaepernick was forced out of the league after he began his now famous protest of ‘taking a knee’ while the US national anthem played.

Colin Kaepernick did the right thing. Black celebs like Jay Z and Beyonce aren’t doing nearly enough in the fight for justice — Colin Kaepernick #7 taking a knee with his playmates prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi Stadium on October 2, 2016 © Getty Images / Michael Zagar

Initially he sat down but this was missed by the media, and he wanted the world to be aware that he was rallying against the police brutality of black people.

Kaepernick was forced out of the league after he began his now famous protest of ‘taking a knee’ while the US national anthem played.

So dropping to one knee as the Star-Spangled Banner played became Kaepernick’s sign of defiance.

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His friend Brandon Marshall – who played for the Denver Broncos – copied the protest in the following weeks. At the time, he explained: “I’m standing up for what I believe in.”

Commenting now after the tsunami of lawlessness that has engulfed the US over the past seven days, Marshall said: “I think people are looking at [Kaepernick] now like, ‘OK, maybe he knew.’ People didn’t want to hear the message after, ‘Oh, they were kneeling.’ They didn’t want that message, weren’t ready for it, didn’t listen.”

Everyone should have listened. But in particular, why didn’t the powerful, rich, influential black population in America listen?

Lengthy protest

Kaepernick kept up his protest for the 2016 season, dropping down as the anthem rang out.

It seemed like everyone took a jab; Donald Trump referred to him and any other player who took the knee as a “son of a bitch” while the NFL’s commissioner Roger Goodell commented: “We live in an imperfect society. On the other hand, we believe very strongly in patriotism in the NFL.”

Even today, the controversy lingers. Earlier this week Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints said: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”

Kaepernick was clear in his motivation. He said:“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.”