Rumor has it that this workout or tryout for Colin Kaepernick was solely determined by the NFL and he was given no options as far as the location, date or time. Media outlets like ESPN’s The Undefeated validates this point.
The Undefeated reported that the NFL had set things up where Kaepernick’s team was not allowed to videotape the original workout and banned the media from covering the event. The league’s shady approach to this staged workout forced Kaepernick to go in another direction of creating his own workout space with the media.
I really don’t think this workout was about showing off Kaepernick’s skills as a high-tier football player at a high school location.
This was about Kaepernick building on his platform to get rid of police brutality and give a shout out to social justice. Do people really know why Kaepernick took a knee? Do most people think Kaepernick is simply opposed to the national anthem and being an American? Or is he just being defiant?
Perhaps. If more people listened to his thoughts and concerns, and if those people had any logic, they would agree that police brutality exists, particularly in the inner cities among minorities.
And those cops are a threat to human life. Can you imagine being pulled over and BELIEVING it may be the end of your life? Does the White Right not understand that this is real? Being biracial and raised by a white family, Kaepernick is familiar with this reality.
Most importantly, police brutality is prevalent in this country. How many times have you seen cops in a situation and see people stop with phone in their hand videotaping the possibility of violent escalation? This happens on a regular basis.
So, Kaepernick taking a knee for his belief that police brutality is out of control is more than any one person has done to stop this nonsense. Kaepernick doing this in the NFL arena is a much broader platform and more widely viewed by the public than the former San Francisco 49ers star having a conversation at a police station, which would have very little impact.
Was the NFL arena the right place for Kaepernick to do this? Yes. I applaud Kaepernick for being willing to sacrifice his multi-million salary for his personal belief and support his efforts to get the police brutality eliminated. Would you be willing to get fired and give up a 70 percent of your salary to support a belief of yours? Probably not.
Do I agree with NOT supporting the national anthem as an American? NO. I have traveled to so many third world countries, where fire departments, police and governments or lack there of, are so crooked that I appreciate the departments we are blessed to have 100 percent. And there is a difference between, cops and Police.
All this being said, Kaepernick’s silent demonstration has been loudly heard. We are all still talking about this issue, although the conversation has been somewhat muted in the last couple of years.
Do I think Kaepernick is as an elite quarterback as he was when he lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl XLVII appearance? No, not necessarily. However, Kaepernick is still one of the better signal-callers around, even if he has missed three years of playing in the league. The simple fact remains…police brutality needs to end. Period.
