Colin Kaepernick: I won't stand 'to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses

[Gandrake]

He didn't say he was oppressed. He said black people are. But way to beat the shit out of that strawman.

maybe if black people didn't commit 40%+ of violent crimes in america they wouldn't be met with such aggression. maybe they wouldn't be in poverty if they did not suffer from entitlement and act like they are too good to take an opportunity when they see it. maybe they wouldn't get shot if they fully cooperated with the police and gave these people the respect that they deserve instead of acting like they're starring on the set of goodfellas.

What has Colin done?

You can't sit there, have $120000000, live in a big ass condo, have enough jordans to clothe a small african village, own a couple of exotic cars, be living the american dream and act like you give a fuck about oppression if you aren't putting your money where your mouth is.

For all that he has done he may as well have.

[stomination]

It's only disrespectful to the country itself, and the reason he clearly described; that country's failures to address issues with systemic racism. Which is certainly reason to choose to not show respect to that country, in protest.



The only people such a peaceful protest could "push away" are blind nationalists who would never be convinced by any argument or evidence against their nation in the first place.

Its disrespectful to every soldier who died under that flag. All he did was disrespect himself like he has been doing for awhile on that team.

[Hiricine]

Not showing pride in a country that I could almost guarantee him the entirety of BLM would support extracting more wealth from taxpayers to grow. Do they hate the country and its government and want it to go away, or is that lip service and a cover for the agenda thats really being pushed which is income transfers on a large scale and a victim industry in overdrive

[Wells]

maybe they wouldn't be in poverty if they did not suffer from entitlement and act like they are too good to take an opportunity when they see it.

The best part is you won't even see how god damn racist this is.

[ItachiZaku]

Kappanigga has to stay relevant somehow, I suppose. I fully agree for what he did and why he did it (if that's why he did it), but I don't see why this is a story at all. I mean, it doesn't even mean anything when Bron, Wade, Melo and CP do it, so why should it matter when some fairly terrible backup QB does it?

[Rhaide]

I'm glad you can't read what I wrote. Allow me to clarify. Where does it show that he wanted attention for his action? Just because he chooses to not support something doesn't mean he wants attention for it. If I walk past a gay bashing parade and choose to not partake, does that mean I'm looking for attention? No. So shut the fuck up until you can make a coherent argument .

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He didn't say he was oppressed. He said black people are. But way to beat the shit out of that strawman.

You're totally right, he chose a national stage to do something edgy. TOTALLY not attention seeking. Also, tone down your aggression, you're WAY too mad.

[zenkai]

I'm glad you can't read what I wrote. Allow me to clarify. Where does it show that he wanted attention for his action? Just because he chooses to not support something doesn't mean he wants attention for it. If I walk past a gay bashing parade and choose to not partake, does that mean I'm looking for attention? No. So shut the fuck up until you can make a coherent argument .

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He didn't say he was oppressed. He said black people are. But way to beat the shit out of that strawman.

And what is he doing about it other than sitting down? Nothing. If anything he has hurt his cause.

[petej0]

except he's not that "popular" player any more. He's exremely in danger of getting cut...because of his on the field play. And even before this, he lost the respect of his team and especially o-line.

To make matters worse, at this point he's likely going to be the 3rd string qb. And realistically, no team is going to keep someone with a $12mil salary to ride the bench, especially as a 3rd qb on the roster, he isn't even eligible to play in a game.

And now this happens, which makes him a distraction. Further, if he gets cut, which is likely, then a team that picks him up has to pick up said $12mil comtract. So unless a team is seriously desperate, he becomes unhireable.

Thus the end result is no platform, no popularity, and as thus, he just becomes a waste of talent.

If he really wanted to make a difference, there are and were much better options.

First, A third string QB is always eligible to play if they are suited up.

Second, his on the field and ability rank aside, he is still a well know athlete due to his past performance. Say his name and people know who you are talking about. That is the popularity I am talking about. He still has the ability to reach millions of people with a message, instead of relaying his message via a media he has access to, he instead sulks in the corner and tells nobody about it until he is asked about it.

[TZucchini]

If you demand flag worship, I suggest you move to North Korea.

[petej0]

If you demand flag worship, I suggest you move to North Korea.

For me, it has nothing to do with "Flag Worship", it is about effectiveness of the message. Not standing doesnt do shit if nobody knows, as an athlete he has the ability to enact the change he is looking for instead of "Sitting" by doing nothing.

[TZucchini]

For me, it has nothing to do with "Flag Worship", it is about effectiveness of the message. Not standing doesnt do shit if nobody knows, as an athlete he has the ability to enact the change he is looking for instead of "Sitting" by doing nothing.

He's protesting, and in doing so, has garnered the attention of the entire country.

Not exactly sure that qualifies as "doing nothing".

[petej0]

He's protesting, and in doing so, has garnered the attention of the entire country.

Not exactly sure that qualifies as "doing nothing".

Only because a keen eyed observer saw him and asked him about it. Otherwise it would have gone unnoticed.

The fact that someone else brought up the fact that he didnt stand and the media is running with the story qualifies as doing nothing. If he instead used his popularity to start a foundation or got Law Enforcement Groups and the Community to get together and talk or start a Law Enforcement meet and greet day in San Francisco parks to mingle with the community, THEN that would qualify as doing something.

[TZucchini]

Only because a keen eyed observer saw him and asked him about it. Otherwise it would have gone unnoticed.

But it didn't go unnoticed. Let's deal with reality here. What actually happened.

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Yeah, exactly. "Attention". Not any action, he's just getting "attention".

One could easily argue that drawing nationwide attention to a problem does much more for a cause than simply donating to a charity, or driving a few people to a polling station.

[petej0]

But it didn't go unnoticed. Let's deal with reality here. What actually happened.

But it could have, there was no guarantee that someone would have noticed and bring it up. Had he said something BEFORE the preseason, it would have been a different matter.

One could easily argue that drawing nationwide attention to a problem does much more for a cause than simply donating to a charity, or driving a few people to a polling station.

You can still bring nationwide attention while announcing you are starting a charity or public cause. He chose to do it silently with the HOPES that it went noticed. Had it not get noticed, what was his next move?

[TZucchini]

What problem did he "bring attention to" that hasn't already been all over the media for years/decades now?

The fact that racial discrimination still persists, in the year 2016. I thought that was obvious.

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But it could have

But it didn't.

You can still bring nationwide attention while announcing you are starting a charity or public cause. He chose to do it silently with the HOPES that it went noticed. Had it not get noticed, what was his next move?

Who cares what his next move is or was. It was a very simple gesture. Refusing to stand. Refusing to worship a flag.

[TZucchini]

Yes, and like I said, it's a topic that's everywhere today. If anything, he's not bringing attention TO it, he's getting attention FROM it.

So other people are talking about it, which means Kaepernick shouldn't?

Any attention he's receiving from this is inherently negative. Apparently you can't respect soldiers and the sacrifices they've made without also worshiping a flag.

[petej0]

The fact that racial discrimination still persists, in the year 2016. I thought that was obvious.

Who didnt know that was still an issue? #BlackLivesMatter has been in the media non-stop for the last few months, he isnt bringing attention to anything that isnt already in media headlines.

But it didn't.

It goes to intent, had he said prior that he wasnt going to stand it would have been different. The fact that he did it silently shows, he isnt really concerned with being noticed or the attention to his "cause".

Who cares what his next move is or was. It was a very simple gesture. Refusing to stand. Refusing to worship a flag.

Well, if you really were doing it for a "cause" you would want to make sure that your actions went noticed. You dont boycott unless you tell the business the reasons why you are boycotting otherwise they dont know and they cant address your issues. If you dont tell anyone your intentions to not stand nobody will know and thus cant address your issue. If you dont want to stand because you dont want to worship a flag, I dont give a fuck, you have the freedom to do so. If you dont want to stand because of the plight of people in your country, thats fine too. Announce it ahead of time so the media can focus in on you not standing.

Again this isnt about if he stood or not, I dont care. You seem to be focused on worship of a flag. It is about HOW he did it, and WHAT he is DOING about the problems he is at issue with. Again, as a popular athlete he has access to many avenues to ENACT CHANGE, instead of just bringing "Attention" to something we already know about.

[Dextroden]

So other people are talking about it, which means Kaepernick shouldn't?

Any attention he's receiving from this is inherently negative. Apparently you can't respect soldiers and the sacrifices they've made without also worshiping a flag.

People were talking about it to justify attacks on white people and arson a few weeks back. The conversation never stopped.

[Dyfar]

If only non white people would be in charge of our country. We would be a utopia!

Ohh wait actually the opposite...

[GennGreymane]

I wonder who would ever support someone who says America is not great?

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I found this funny