At this point it’s pretty clear why Colin Kaepernick has not been signed for the upcoming football season. The NFL ― specifically some of the organization’s owners ― are punishing the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. It doesn’t matter how many team general managers release carefully crafted PR statements claiming that is not the case. We all know what it is.
Not only does Kaepernick have to deal with trying to find a home team, he’s also had to hear the loud and wrong opinions of his peers who think he should cut his hair or protest quietly. That Stockholm Syndrome is real out here in these football streets. Thankfully some of his professional athlete colleagues have some sense. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Richard Sherman have publicly supported Kaepernick along with slews of us regular folks who realize Kaepernick has only told the truth.
Filmmaker Spike Lee has added his name to the long list of pro-Kaepernick supporters.
Today the She’s Gotta Have It director announced a rally at the NFL headquarters in support of Kaepernick. The tweet announcement included a photo with Kaepernick kneeling alongside his former teammate Eric Reid. “United We Stand Rally for Colin Kaepernick,” the flyer read.
https://twitter.com/SpikeLee/status/894905182353592321
The rally will take place on Weds., August 23rd at 5:00PM at the NFL headquarters in New York City.
“I Did Not Organize And Set Up This Protest. However I Still Support My Brother And His Stance On The Injustices In The USA,” Lee tweeted following the original tweet.
For those who would love to be willfully obtuse about why Kaepernick has not been picked up by a team, let us help you out. It’s not because of his stats. The 29-year-old veteran scored 16 touchdowns, four interceptions and threw for 2,241 yards last season. In addition, he has six playoff starts and a Super Bowl appearance under his belt.
It’s a damn shame that Kaepernick has to even be supported by former professional athletes, current athletes, musicians and Hollywood big wigs. All he did was kneel ― you know, the kind of silent protest the Right loves to applaud. The NFL’s slip is showing. Hopefully the public shows up and out for the New York City rally so the NFL can recognize it can’t keep its Black players in their place. And every time they try it fans will resist.
