Originally published Sept 9, 2016
By Ernie McCray
Editor Note: Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent and we need to continue to press the question “Why is that?” Dave Zirin writes “The truth is ugly as sin. The NFL is denying Colin Kaepernick employment not because he isn’t “good enough” but because he is being shut out for the crime of using his platform to protest the killing of black kids by police. This makes the league’s right-wing billionaire owners’ silk boxers bunch up. NFL owners don’t make pariahs out of players who beat women or face accusations of murder.”
Photo credit: Flickr.com / PacificKlaus
I keep thinking about Colin Kaepernick and how so many people have badmouthed him for sitting during the National Anthem rather than addressing his concerns in a “more appropriate way.”
And considering that (as I brought out in a prior piece about Kaepernick) his concern is about the oppression of black people and other people of color, those of us who are so designated really want to know how we can pursue our dream of “liberty and justice for all” in a way that suits the country’s fancy.
Because we’ve been trying like hell. For centuries. Non-stop. Besides working and raising our families with a little partying and making it to a couple of Chargers and Padres games in-between, it’s pretty much all we do.
Anyway, there’s a lot more for us all to do if feeling equal is to ever be realized by every American.
And if we’re serious about making it happen we have to acknowledge the proverbial “elephant in the room” that has always been a stumbling block to such goals: our very notions of patriotism, the narrow-minded view we have that waving and rallying loudly around “Old Glory” is the be-all and end-all when it comes to showing loyalty to one’s country.
Those trying to demonstrate their patriotism in other ways find themselves criticized mercilessly and looked at as non-patriotic.
But, in my opinion, Colin Kaepernick’s “dissent” on behalf of underserved Americans is, in the words of Howard Zinn, “the highest form of patriotism.”
At the least it’s certainly “a” form of patriotism, which leads to the point: rising for the national anthem and putting our hands over our hearts are just some of the ways that we can honor our country, ways that often, as history has proven, get in the way of our working together to make our country better.
I mean sometimes we get so wrapped up in the flag that we can’t see straight. We can’t reason. We become unwilling to be informed about matters like race relations which has, on many occasions, caused us to completely bypass opportunities to create a society wherein people are sincerely dedicated to making themselves more tolerant and accepting of each other.
It appears that our overly emotional fascination with our nation’s symbols has made us almost completely barren of the ability to think critically, so easily able to act ridiculously, like setting fire to a quarterback’s jersey; saying that he offended the military; occasionally seeking legislation that would make desecrating the flag a crime when it’s a pure form of “free” speech, with the emphasis on “free.”
But it’s okay to blow a black boy away because he seems beastly. That’s the kind of thing Kaepernick wants us to look into and bring an end to. He’s fed up with something we all should “have it up to here!” with. He wants to see an end to police brutality but, because he didn’t go about it in “a more appropriate way,” the Santa Clara police recently threatened to stop security for the San Francisco 49’ers games. That’s a flatout crying shame. So un-American.
Juxtapose that with the Ohio police who volunteered without complaint to protect a convicted rapist, Brock Turner, a white young man, a former student and “star swimmer” (an athlete like Kaepernick) of Stanford University, and you see the way the game is played. It’s in our face. We should all be enraged.
But the struggle moves ahead in the last of the teen years of the 21st Century, still with no feedback to communities of color as to how we can keep our American Dreams for a better life alive in some way that’s acceptable to people who want to define patriotism for everybody.
How can we get beyond being “offended” by Colin Kaepernick and vilifying him and genuinely begin to address his concern: the oppression of black people and other people of color?
How can we make him eventually feel that he can stand with pride when, before his games begin, they strike up the band and play our national anthem?
What brand of patriotism could make that happen? The answer has to lie in each of us.
Editor note: Ernie McCray has an earlier post on the topic: “Colin Kaepernick: An NFL Quarterback Was Just Added to My List of Social Heroes” He writes
What manner of pursuing one’s rights are “proactive and effective” I have to ask. Over a lifetime I’ve tried everything: marched and rallied for my freedom; prayed for my freedom (a long time ago); stood before City and County and State Halls for my freedom; organized, agonized, sometimes while being patronized for my freedom; acted on stage and written op-eds and letters to the editor and TV bits for my freedom; campaigned for politicians who I thought could best help me in my quest for my freedom; played a role in forums that were all about me gaining my freedom……
Everyone of those proactive attempts at winning rights that should be ours, without any thought, have been “offensive” to somebody, people who, apparently want us black folks to shuffle and kowtow and smile and just be quiet and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. Anything else, they don’t want to hear it. And that’s the problem.
Ernie McCray
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Thanks for this. For a long time I’ve thought more or less consciously of Samuel Johnson’s famous line — “Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels” — every time I’ve heard politicians and grunts tell me “what I owe my country.” I’m sick of the militarization of patriotism, which implies we must be ready to die for our country (and to get paid for doing it) if it comes to that. We have made of Pearl Harbor Day, 9/11, July Fourth, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other calendar dates celebrations of death. Why can’t charitable work be patriotic? Why can’t deeply held principles and dedication to truth be patriotic? I’m afraid that we no longer can talk about patriotism without summoning up images and sounds of guns going off. Screw the fireworks; let’s get busy doing something positive.
I think some of the pushback has to do with the belief that Kaepernick isn’t really doing this out of any heartfelt idealism but rather because of his relationship to Nessa Diab. Pretty stupid but that’s seems to be what a lot of people truly think. Also in a town with this much military presence this is to be expected, misguided or not. A lot of vets who are infuriated with Kaepernick overlook the fact that many of their fellow vets are in full support of him. All you can do with those who are on the enraged side is take them with a grain of salt.
Patriotism should be about fighting for social justice, and this is what Kaepernick is doing. I honor WW II vets who fought and won a necessary war, but since then it’s been all about the military for the military’s sake instead of pointing out that we would have been better off to have invested in the Peace Corps rather than the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. In order to insure domestic tranquillity, the US needs to put its assets to work helping those who need help here and around the world. First on the list is black people who have never gotten a fair shake in this country.
I don’t disagree with you but many on the left (which I am part of) need to do a better job of not vilifying service member who participated in war (not withstanding individuals like SGT. Bales). Not saying all or most do but it’s astounding how much I still hear or read progressives making a blanket referral to all service members as “murders” and “baby killers”, even in 2016. That is simply not acceptable.
I would never vilify service members. They are just following orders. I would vilify those that are setting policies which just beef up the Defense Department’s budget and promote militarization. In other words those in positions of authority.
Concurrance. And thank you.
This is one of those myths the old and new right try to sell — that is, lefties spit on returning vets, calling them “murder(er)s and baby killers,” as Chris says. I’ve heard this description of peace seekers aimed at me and other demonstraters against the Vietnam War, and about the 50,000 who turned out to march against The Iraq War, here in San Diego. It is tired crap, even if you have tried to sound open and tolerant, Chris. If you’re seeing people demonstrating against war and commonly denigrating vets you should record it and write about it.
When I marched against the Vietnam War, in NYC & elsewhere, veterans were marching at my side.
Bob, To be clear I never said all or even most people demonstrating against war are denigrating vets. I don’t think the majority do that (in fact I know for a fact most don’t), but there IS in fact a large albeit minority who do or seem to. I’m also aware that a large # of protesters are in fact war veterans themselves. I never accused any of the regular contributors here of doing that either.
Unfortunately, like it or not the pushback against protesting the war and U.S. foreign policy goes with the territory. Yes it IS tired crap but that’s simply going to happen. I posted in another thread on here about a young Marine vet who told me to my face to “please have a stroke”. He had no idea I was a vet myself but I didn’t want to get into it with him. He had enough issues to deal with.
No, but you Did say the amount you hear or read it from progressives is astounding. I personally doubt you hear it from progressives at All.
You may hear it from others like yourself who Say they heard it, but also don’t.
I doubt there is a(n actual) Progressive who is not aware that, as John stated, the true “bad guys” are much higher up the chain, not actually On the field.
I really question this statement. In all my everyday dealings, milling about through circles of different levels of Liberalism, never have I heard this uttered. (Not since Vietnam, anyway…)
I have. But again I never said most do.
Chris, you’ve come to the point of telling us what you didn’t say, and to telling us what we did say. That’s not a dialogue.
https://www.navytimes.com/articles/this-sailor-sided-with-kaepernick-sat-out-anthem-now-the-navy-is-taking-action
Go Navy! Go sailor!
“But it’s okay to blow a black boy away because he seems beastly.” This line of the essay really strikes home, considering that NFL players are routinely described as “beasts.” “Beastly,” shoot him. “Beast,” give him a multi-million dollar payday. What the fuzz?
HI ERNIE: My-my-my … just one more sribed masterpiece by Ernie McCray! I am going to share this on my Facebook site. Combine this piece with the opening of the Black History Museum in Washington, D.C., and if observed by “The Deplorables” could expose them to a lesser degree of ignorance to thoughts focusing on “Black Lives Matter.” Lastly, I remain disturbed by the numbers of ebony hued folks who will slander President Obama and his blooming super-duper legacy. I deeply believe so many of these sorts are merely recipients of some financial gain! Keep sharing the truths that need to be told, and in a fashion only you can post.