The most common, politically correct refrain I have heard from white critics of Colin Kaepernick's silent protest during the "Star-Spangled Banner" is that they kind of understand his motivations for protesting, but they just don't like his methods.
As a recap, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has decided to silently take a knee during the pre-game singing of the national anthem.
In response to his silent, peaceful protest, NFL executives are calling him "a traitor," saying that they absolutely hate him, and that he is the most despised NFL player among executives since Rae Carruth hired a man to kill his pregnant girlfriend. Yeah, really. And those are the executives from his league.
A quick scan of Twitter will produce death threats and racial slurs. Donald Trump, who has based his entire campaign on the idea that America is a steaming hot mess that he can make great again, even said that if Colin doesn't like this country, he should find another country to move to. That was basically code for "Go back to Africa." In other words, if you are white and think this country sucks, you should run for President on that premise, but if you are black and think the same thing, you should move the hell out.
These sentiments aren't obscure. Talking heads, athletes, writers, and politicians all over America have expressed disgust over Colin's silent protest.
Well, I have a question.
Exactly which form of our protest do you actually prefer?
You hated when Cleveland Browns player Andrew Hawkins wore a "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt before a game.
You hated when Lebron James did the same thing.
You hated when several players from the St. Louis Rams simply put their hands up in the air before a game in solidarity with unarmed victims of police brutality.
When we march across the country, you mock us.
When we block intersections and hold up traffic, your blood boils.
When we simply express our concerns on Twitter and Facebook, we receive extreme opposition.
I think the point you are really making is that for you, to be patriotic and black, is to be silent in the face of injustice. We shouldn't march, we shouldn't sit down silently, we shouldn't wear T-shirts, we shouldn't put our hands up, we should just suffer and take the injustice with a wink and a nod. And, we should also sing and dance and hoop and score touchdowns for you with big huge smiles on our faces like the injustice doesn't even bother us. Hell, I think you want us to actually like it.
For I have yet to see a form of protest that you actually agree with.
Because here's what I really know — you have not yet seen the harshest protests and boycotts that we could try next to wake this nation up and motivate it to actually right the wrongs of police brutality and racial injustice. You should welcome Colin Kaepernick's peaceful and measured protest.
What if NFL players decided to actually stop playing until this nation took our pain seriously?
What if people of good conscience decided to stage an economic boycott unlike anything this nation has ever seen before?
What we are doing now is actually the tame, palatable alternative to those things, but it all seems to be too much for you — which is strange because you have said so little about the injustice itself.
Drew Brees, I am looking at you.
Boomer Esiason, I am definitely looking at you.
If only our pain bothered you as much as our protests.