Colin Kaepernick And His Freedom Of Speech - What's Wrong With People?
Seriously, what is mainstream media trying to do here.
This is seriously one of the most silly, most absurd things that I seen in the media this year.
At what point does your salary make you forfeit your freedom of speech?
Since when is standing up for a group of people something that should be shamed?
Since when is having a platform to speak from a bad thing? The president has a platform, and a large salary, does that mean he should sit down and give up his opinion? Absolutely not. The most amusing thing is that Kaepernick didn't stand for the 2 games prior, but he was not in uniform, and no one noticed or said shit. But since it went with the Mainstream Media narrative of dividing the people within the country they took it and ran with it to get us riled up. We, as a people, represent humans and we need to understand eachother. Different cultures, different countries, different norms. We are humans.
I logged on Facebook yesterday and saw one of my friends post that Colin Kaepernick was spreading hatred by not supporting the national anthem... Well I bet that person didn't know that Francis Scott Key was a slaver owner. They probably also were not educated enough to know that there are more verses in the star spangled banner, and one of them is arguably racist. Some people would argue that Francis only put this in the verse regarding treason. This verse refers to the slaves that were freed by the opposition and then fought against the US for the opposition. Let's see, if you were being held in slavery and someone came to save you, would you pick up and gun and help fight. I know I would.
Decide for yourself what it means.
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner—O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Like I said, it's not about the verse only, he was also a slave owner and was not in favor of abolition.
Now I understand this whole thing has turned into much more than this. But it's a sad world when there are so many people with the attitude that he should "just shut up and play football."
At what point did it become normal for the poor people on the bottom to have freedom of speech but our sports stars can't have an opinion. Yes, since he took the knee many others have followed. But people need to not just band wagon, they need to continue the message if it's truly what they believe in.
I am not saying that people can't have an opinion about what Colin Kaepernick is doing, but they need to take a step back and realize how hypocritical they are being by claiming he doesn't have a right to speak out while they use their own write to speak out. How do people not see what they are doing?
And I am so sick of hearing that these shootings are "isolated incidences." If they were isolated there would not be new videos of shootings every week.
I love humans. But I am smart enough to understand that we judge the world around us using our 5 senses. It's how we survive. It's easy for us white people to claim that no one is getting the short end of the stick, because when you are not the one receiving the short end, you are blind to it. Maybe I feel the way I feel because I have mixed cousins and a partially native american daughter.
It's ok to have your opinion, but we each need to understand why we feel the way we do. I know why I feel the way I do. For love of humans and love of life. I have lost much of my faith in humanity but I have been reminded, particularly on Steemit, that their are still humans with a humans out there thinking for themselves and loving their fellow humans.
I know that many people will disagree with my opinions. And that is fine. But if you think Colin should keep his mouth shut, then ask yourself why? Because of his salary? Because of his skin color? Because of his job? Because why? Because your American pride? I don't mean to insult anyone, but rather trying to widen the perspective for others. Thank you for reading.
Kaepernick started off at a deficit for being a douchebag before this whole kneeling during the anthem thing started.
You don't have to like the guy for him to have a freedom of speech and a right to express himself. Personally, I don't even like him, but what I dislike more than him is people trying to take away someones voice.
The reality is that NFL football is a consumer product. Colin Kaepernick's image is wholly owned by the NFL. While he has his right to voice his opinion, that does not shield him from the consequences of doing so. His constitutional rights only go so far as to protect him from sanction from the government. And so far, the NFL hasn't done anything to censure him.
The fans also have a right to disagree with his statement. If they don't like the quality of the product they are consuming, i.e. seeing Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem during the game they are paying good money for, they have several methods of redress.
They can turn off the game. They can stop buying tickets. They can stop buying merchandise. They can boycott sponsors. The consumers are not out of place for just wanting athletes to shut up and entertain them. That's what they pay for. That's what the athletes are getting paid for. And if it hurts the NFL's pocketbook enough, you can bet they will take action.
For just as much as you can say it's a free country, it's also a free market.