Baller Alert Entertainment & Lifestyle
On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, #RosaParks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. An unintentional peaceful protest by a woman who was simply “tired of giving in.”
Sixty-one years later, 49ers quarterback #ColinKaepernick refused to stand during the National Anthem, in an effort to protest the mistreatment of people of color. An intentional protest by a man tired of witnessing injustices against his people.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said of his protest. “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.”
“I’ll continue to sit. I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change — and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way it’s supposed to — I’ll stand.”
In the midst of Kaepernick’s peaceful protest, the athlete has been ridiculed, criticized, threatened and condemned for his actions, all while being reminded to be grateful to live in a country that refuses to acknowledge and respect the lives of people of color.
In a recent #USAToday article, Kaepernick is accused of disrespecting the country that has “given him everything he has.” His explanation of the protest is described as “plainly ignorant of present-day reality,” for the simple fact that our president is black. Never mind the black men and woman gunned down in the streets by the people who are appointed to protect and serve, without consequence.
It’s painfully apparent that the lives of black people and people of color are not protected in the eyes of the law. But, for some reason, Kaepernick’s peaceful protest is more damaging or disrespectful to the country, than nationwide injustices against American citizens.
According to USA Today, “being a U.S. citizen allows (Kaepernick) to protest the actions or inactions of his country and government in a very public manner, without risking personal safety or financial security. Just the fact that Kaepernick can publicly and freely protest something as sacred as standing for the national anthem should be enough to awaken his soul and mind to the true greatness of this country.”
Since the commencement of the protest on August 14, 2016, Kaepernick has been joined by several athletes in the fight against oppression. Ballers throughout the NFL have taken a knee or raised a fist in support of Kaepernick and the protest, however, as a result, many have also lost endorsements.
So much for being able to protest “public and freely.”
While, this country is great, there is still a lot of work to be done. It starts with acknowledgement. People turn a blind eye to the injustices of black people and people of color, and use the president’s race as an excuse.
Although there are many people of color in power,
that doesn’t mean those people aren’t still mistreated. Even still, that doesn’t eliminate the fact that African Americans all over the country are being killed on camera by the police, without any consequences.
The idea that African Americans should be grateful to be here is ridiculous, seeing as how our ancestors were brought by boat and sold into slavery against their will.
African American rights are American rights. We all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and it’s time for it to be acknowledged. Until then, we will stand together. We will sit! We will kneel! We will raise our fists!
We are American. We are equal.
