The president of the United States called the NFL players who are protesting police brutality and racial injustices by silently and peacefully kneeling for the national anthem before games as “sons of bitch[es]”. Let that simmer for a minute. At this point in the game, people choose to forget WHY Colin Kaepernick is doing WHAT he is doing and why we’re supporting him. People obtain convenient amnesia when Black people talk and act and they then choose to make the narrative that we’re strictly and deliberately “disrespecting the flag”. That ain’t ever been the motive at all.
But before we move on from this, let’s go over the National Anthem. Let’s hypothetically fathom that police brutality is not a conversation and continuing issue for Black men and women around amerikkka. If you can somehow try to imagine that, it would still leave me aghast to see nearly every Black athlete standing for the National Anthem. The song itself is a celebration of amerikkka fighting in the War of 1812 against the British. During this war, slaves found their way to British ships and agreed to fight with them while the British promised that none would be returned to their owners. I hate that word: owners. These were humans. In short, they recruited slaves to help fight with them in the War of 1812. These heros and warriors afterwards were dubbed The Black Refugees. A lot of these warriors fled and settled in areas of Canada and Trinidad.
Frances Scott Key witnessed the British on the brinks of occupying Fort McHenry, however, amerikkka prevailed and eventually was victorious. Scott Key was inspired and thus, the Star Spangled Banner was created. He wrote the lyrics after seeing the amerikkkan flag waving as a sign of triumph.
The 3rd stanza is quite clear. “No refuge could save the hireling and slave. From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.” Hireling is a noun. It is defined as a person who works for money, someone who is paid off to do something YOU think is unsatisfactory. A deed that you do not think highly of. A hireling is not a respected person. Scott Key had pleasure in the death of slaves who turned on their owners and helped the British fight. This should not startle any one as Scott Key himself owned slaves.
Back to the protesting of the National Anthem. That ain’t even the case. Kaep is not protesting the National Anthem. The National Anthem is a vehicle to the main point. The flag and national anthem first couple of lines represents freedom, justice, unalienable rights, along with other things. The things the flag and national anthem first lines represent AREN’T BEING DELIVERED TO BLACK PEOPLE. AT THE TIME THE ANTHEM WAS WRITTEN, BLACK PEOPLE WEREN’T CONSIDERED HUMANS BUT PROPERTY.
If the motive was to disrespect the flag, we, Black Americans, have reasons to do so just off of G.P. In 2nd grade I asked my dad can I not stand for Pledge of Allegiance before class started. Not knowing he chose not to do so as well when he was a kid, he asked why. I told him the last line says “with liberty and justice for all” and that’s not true. I don’t want to pledge allegiance to a flag of a country who does not have an allegiance to people who look like me. He joyfully concurred. That was the last day I stood up for that. Kaepernick said plainly “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color… There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” That is why he and others aren’t standing. Has nothing to do with the military. Has nothing to do with “my family fought for the country and its disrespectful to not…” There are many idiots who are blind and deaf and refuse to listen to the WHY’s and just focus on the WHAT’s. They are quick to blurt “if you don’t like it in amerikkka, leave!” There are many hyper nationalists who still, with information readily accessible, make the claim that amerikkka is the greatest country in the world, although there is too much evidence (from healthcare to income inequality to prison system to the education system and gender equality) that disproves that silly myth. I literally scoff at that assertion. Matter of fact, go here when you’re done. Shaun King can break it down. https://www.google.com/amp/www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/national/king-united-states-not-best-country-world-article-1.3303665
What we, as people, Black people can do right now is to boycott and stop spending money in and on cooperations and stores and people and jobs who do not care or favor us. I am no longer asking for the help of white people, Asians, Indians, Native Americans, Latinxs, Pacific Islanders and or anyone else.
I am asking for the support of Black people. I am asking for every Black person to boycott the NFL. Every game. Don’t purchase any gear. The NFL has blatantly blackballed Colin Kaepernick for speaking up on a serious issue. BE MAD AT THE NFL. THIS IS NOT ABOUT TRUMP. NOT ABOUT THE WORDS HE USED. THE NFL HAS SUCCESSFULLY BLACKBALLED COLIN FOR SPEAKING OUT ON POLICE BRUTALITY AND INJUSTICES.
Do you remember reading or hearing about a boycott during the 1950s? You know, when there were real revolutionaries? It was the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It lasted until December 5th of 1955 until December 20th 1956. Shout out to Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks. Black women always holding it down. In November of 1956, the Supreme Court officially backed Alabama’s federal district court’s decision and ruled that segregation on public transportation was against the law.
“Mass protest draw attention to the problem, galvanize support around the issue so you can then bring people into your plan of action. The Economic Boycotts hurt the opposition economically, weakens them and causes them to be open to negotiating with you because you have crippled them economically,” as beautifully written in the article “Why Did Dr. King Tell Us To “’Redistribute The Pain”’ by Michael Imhotep. *Do your own research on the term Hotep.
Listen to me. If everyone said “ehhh. I see what you’re tryna do. I support the cause and vision, but I gotta get to work. Let’s compromise. I will boycott every bus line except the one that takes me to work.” or “This is cool. I’m glad thousands of my fellow people are doing this because I just can’t. I can’t sacrifice NOW. Not NOW. It’s an inconvenience for me. Show me something else that I can boycott like Coca Cola. I mean I drink once Coke every Sunday, so.. i can forfeit that. but the bus? No”
I know some people who told me, genuinely, “this just comes at a bad time. my team is good now. Why did this have to happen now?” or “I’ll boycott the rest of the NFL but not my team.” My team is the Atlanta Falcons. The team who just made it to the Super Bowl. The team with the reigning MVP throwing the ball and Julio Jones to catch it. He’s kinda the best receiver out there. I WANT to watch my team play. I WANT to be entertained by arguably the best offense on the league. But some things matter more. POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST BLACK BODIES IN AMERIKKKA IS A NOT A CONSPIRACY. IT IS A REAL THING. THIS IS THE REASON WHY COLIN KAEPERNICK STARTED KNEELING. THIS IS THE REASON WE ARE SUPPORTING HIM BY BOYCOTTING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. We are not protesting that he doesn’t have a job. The boycott is not going to end after master GIVES a qualified trained ready player a jersey to put on. Y’all already forgot why this is important. Some people say they love Muhammad Ali but forgot he was jailed and stripped of his belts for not joining the army. There was a flock of people who “supported” Ali and demanded he get his belts back. That was not the issue. The issue was fighting a war he had no business fighting in (along with every other Black American).
Ali famously declared
“I ain’t going no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I want to die, I’ll die right here, right now, fightin you, if I want to die. You my enemy, not no Chinese, no Vietcong, no Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won’t even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won’t even stand up for my rights here at home.”
Ali was fighting for something bigger than a belt and more important than the sport of boxing. Kaepernick is protesting for something way more intimate than being able to play the beloved quarterback position.
These people have real reasons as to why they’re gonna partly join. All these people putting their toes in the pool to see if they can bare the temperature.
Go somewhere else with that. Ain’t no such thing as halfway crooks as Mobb Deep said. People tend to do only what is convenient for them. Can’t figure out what sacrifice is. People are quick to make up their own rules to an agenda that’s already set. Non Black people think buying a hoodie or shirt that say BlackLivesMatter from an Asian company is helping.
I’m asking for ALL Black people to boycott the NFL. *upcoming weeks be ready. We will have more responsibilities WE can partake in such as withdrawal of our monies from the sponsors of the NFL. If NO ONE was outraged about Donald Sterling, he would currently own a professional basketball team and think of the eighteen Black players on the roster at the time as slaves. He has the perception that these guys doing the work and at the forefront of the Clippers franchise are nothing but kids who he gives money to for their kids for Christmas. Because we as people said hell naw, he no longer owns a professional basketball team. This is simple. Priceless on your behalf (which makes it effective). Saves you time, money and gas. It’s actually easier for you to boycott than it is to not. So don’t complain that Cam Newton isn’t wearing a beret and leather jacket to the games when you’re watching every game you can.
I’m asking for ALL Non Black people to stay in your lane because y’all really don’t get it. This is not a collaboration. This is not a joint venture. Half of y’all think y’all got valid reasons for saying Nigga… that’s another story. Because there isn’t a literal genocide of your people happening in the country you reside in for 400 years and running, you don’t know my struggle. Because you have no inkling of my struggle and paranoia, you don’t have adequate amount of passion. Being you don’t have that passion, you’re not all the way in. Being you’re not all in, just stay over there. You can do two things in times like these: stay over there and educate your family and community on the injustices, and donate money to PoC organizations. Simple.
Power to the People. When you see me, see you.
*listen to The Story of OJ by Jay-Z.
unamerican idol 