Ok, and then what?
Advocatie thinks Colin Kaepernick’s actions are totally impotent. And no, I did not forget the “r”.
Not only is the sitting drawing attention away from the very issue he is protesting, I believe it will accomplish zero-point-nothing results. Here’s why.
A politician told me 20 years ago the way to deal with people who have a problem is to say, “Thank you; I see there is a problem. Now what do you see as a solution?” Simple right? Apparently not.
The 49ers millionaire has drawn a big audience to his problem and gotten people to talk about the flag and the military and free speech and the NFL and how valuable his jersey is now. Whatever.
I’m so tired of hearing about how much this country needs to change from people who aren’t doing anything to make it happen. I can talk about dinner all day long but until I cook it, no one eats.
I might have supported his free speech but then he wore socks to practice with pigs dressed as cops on them. At that point, hotshot, I don’t care how much money you donate; you lost me. That just tells me, for you, it IS really about you and you have no concept of consequence.
Colin said he waited to make this statement until he knew more about the issues. He must have missed Fellow Heather McDonald’s report that crime is up 17 percent in 50 of our biggest cities because cops are afraid to do their job and be called racists. That’s a consequence.
Sooo, how about taking your big fat media presence and do something? Talk to kids about respect for the rule of law (which is, in fact, what cops of all colors work for), organize citizen groups for National Night Out next month. Just for starters. What? You’re too busy playing football?
Rosa Parks sat down because her problem was actually about sitting down. She sacrificed her freedom for it. Colin, so far, has sacrificed nothing but a little negative public opinion, which, let’s be honest, happens any time he loses a game. Sacrifice would be giving up football for his cause. That would make me pay attention again. And freedom of speech only guarantees the government can not punish him… it doesn’t say I can’t vilify him for it.
Maybe I’ll start sitting down during the anthem until people stop ambushing cops. Law enforcement accidentally, negligently or necessarily kills twice as many white people as black but there are no organized protests or anthem sitters at NASCAR.
I’ll give him credit for bringing it up without the spark of riots or killings. And just this week he decided to donate his first $1 million to community organizations. I’ll be waiting for those news stories and all of his “personal” participation. And really—his *first* million? So now he has to share his helicopter with another family?
Everyone is listening now but this attention to a man with no ideas is empty. Is he waiting for cops to promise not to shoot people? How about if he asks people to stop shooting cops. Or maybe tell suspects not to grab the officer’s gun or not threaten the life of… anyone.
Colin and friends, you have our attention, but you are wasting this 15 minutes by literally sitting down on the job.