From the title, one should be able to see my thoughts on Colin Kaepernick and the recent actions by he and NFL player Eric Reed.For those who don't know, these men have gone from taking a knee against injustice, to taking a settlement WITH a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) to justify their ego...YES, I say ego and here is why:
First, so far as settlement is concerned, by itself, not a problem. I think it is reasonable to come to settlements and conclusions on disagreements in most civil cases and this was a civil case. I mean as an adult, I certainly understand that settlements can be good for everyone, by saving as lot of time and exposure of certain facts that everyone would rather avoid.
The problem is that in light of settlement, some suggest, what the outcome would have been. In this case, some say that the NFL would have lost or been ordered to pay much more (than whatever they paid) or that Kaepernick and Reed may have lost the case all together. We may NEVER know for sure either way because of the part that is really disconcerting...that is the NDA....I will talk about that in a minute.
Now, one would "think" that given the gravity of this situation, a situation in which the NFL was nearly shut-down as America's sport, and one in which even the President of the United States ignorantly railed in the scene saying to "fire the SOB's"...that careful consideration would be given to how this matter was unwound.
I mean here we have serious implications on both sides of the issue. Not even most Black entertainers would touch the Super Bowl half-time show. This situation was one, where Kaepernick and Reed were suggesting to the Black community that their fight was an issue of social justice, and racism, and that because of both, they were taking a stand (or a knee)...Then
Even more than that, Kaepernick specifically claimed collusion, by the NFL and its owners, to lock him out of gainful employment, was the epitome of racism, and that as a community of athletes and Blacks in particular, we needed to hold serve against the NFL to let them know their racially unjust ways won't be tolerated.
On the other side, an employer, controlled mostly by White elite and wealthy men, who suggested that their ability to control an employees actions at work supersedes an employees right to protest perceived "injustice" during work hours, even if the protest arose from the employers policies.
I mean, look at it, if this were true, it would suggest total manipulation of the system and a "gang-like" approach and bullying to handle an employee, by the NFL. In this case, it would imply that there was a system, nearly entirely led by elitist Whites, conspiring to harm a Black man who did not do what they, the NFL, wanted him to do...What could be more close to a post Civil War, Black Code and or Jim Crow position?
"Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything" ~ Colin Kaepernick for Nike
The REAL Issue:
The NDA or Non-Disclosure Agreement!
For years, NDA's have been used to allow both sides of civil suits to privately settle what would otherwise be or was a public lawsuit, and simply walk away from conflicts without having to tell anyone the details or just what was thought or said about anything...
In other words, the NDA is the PERFECT mechanism for a PUNK to escape any implication of guilt, and to be able to put things away almost "as if" it never happened.
In this case, neither Kaepernick, Reed, nor the NFL, in exchange for money, can say anything about the complete and entire case. No disclosure of settlement amount. No suggestion that ANYONE was wrong or right. No disclosure of how much money was paid, and NO IMPLICATION that there was ever an issue!!!
2 PUNKS...1 - A PUNK called Kaepernick, with all the appleas and platitudes towards teh Black community and 2 a PUNK called the NFL who basically said, if they are wrong, they don;t want to be right!
(Critic: now pastor that is not too Christian)
Well, forgive the intrusion into not too Christian territory, but Kaepernick basically told the NFL and others through constraints of silence under the NDA that SOME BLACKS ARE STILL FOR SALE! He did not care for ANY of the issues he claimed and the social justice element was just a rouse...LOOK, be clear social justice was getting done with or without him!!!! That movement was already underway whether he took a knee or not, and Trump, who, by the way, did sign social justice reform, did not care for Kaepernick and his actions in the least...so put 2 and 2 together and at the end of the day, Kaepernick was IRRELEVANT to the issue.
I have heard many ESPN pundits talk about it. Although most of them are WHITE, dialogue has been on both sides of the issue. While I believe their coverage has been fair, most of them still don't understand the issue beyond the player/team/ownership perspective...To be clear, the actions and response of the NFL was not simply about Kaepernick and Reed. It was about a greater issue of perception of elitists and their hired hands (players, Black players in particular) and what boundaries and respect or non-respect existed and what implications all of this has in that employee/employer relationship.
It also meant community. What could the Black community expect from those allegedly taking the "leadership" position to speak out and be vocal on issues?
What we found were people who were more interested in THEMSELVES than in the cause and certainly not the people. what did Colin "sacrifice" for the cause? I would simply like to know. At the end of the day, he has his money, his agreements, potentially open doors to work again and all the attention in the world. Where is the SACRIFICE?
Blessed!
The guy who started the Super Bowl Halftime Show petition echoed the same sentiments that you made in your post. No one won at the end of the day and the NFL goes on as if nothing even happened. Standing up for justice means sacrificing profits and celebrity to do the right and moral thing, which was stand for injustice.
ReplyDeleteWell, Stephen A Smith is on the right path as well. He questioned the same thing and nobody knows what agreements were made to do anything or to do nothing. This is sad and the Black community stands used like a pawn in a Kaepernick game for relevance. Sad.
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