America v. The Black Quarterback

I LOVE AMERICA!  THERE IS NO PLACE I WOULD RATHER LIVE!  I AM GRATEFUL TO OUR VETERANS!  I STAND, WITH HAND OVER HEART, DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!  ROCKY IV IS MY FAVORITE ROCKY MOVIE, I SWEAR!  Sorry for the shouting, sometimes it is the only way to be heard these days.  I needed to get those five points on the record lest readers assume that my less-than-full-throated endorsement of EVERYTHING about America signals a hatred of my homeland.   Nuance seems less appreciated in an era when sledgehammers and earplugs are our favored tools of debate.  In the case of America v. The Black Quarterback there seems to be two different debates emerging, at least on Twitter and the Meme-fest called Facebook.  One, more closely related to the discourse Colin Kaepernick hoped to stoke about race, has centered on the level of oppression a millionaire can feel.  The second, which has many with their red, white, and blue panties in a bunch, focuses on what it means to be patriotic.  To be honest, Kaepernick lost me when he showed up to his press conference in a Fidel Castro t-shirt and spouted vague generalities.  He may not be the best representative for his concerns.  That doesn't mean the two debates are not worth discussing.

I'm not here to argue about the shooting of unarmed black men by police.  The news, video, and statistics speak for themselves.  There is a problem.  Instead, I want to know why people feel a millionaire quarterback shouldn't stand up (or in this case, sit down) to oppression.  The same people that rip Kaepernick's non-violent protest rail against other forms of Black Lives Matter protesting.  Better he should block traffic or throw bricks at cops?  Or, maybe, he should simply know his place and shut up.  After all, what does he know about oppression?  He's just a guy who gets paid millions of dollars to play a game, right?  Being a millionaire athlete does not make you immune to mistreatment.  Former pro tennis player James Blake was mistakenly arrested and assaulted by the NYPD last year.  His millions and privilege didn't protect him from police overreach.  I, for one, respect Colin Kaepernick for taking his stance.  In the face of backlash, ridicule, and possible loss of endorsements  he is using his platform as a (minor) celebrity to give voice to an issue about which he feels strongly.  A voice that may not be heard otherwise.  Agree or disagree with his premise, he deserves credit for willing to shine a light despite the ensuing reaction.

The more troubling aspect of the Kaepernick Sit-Down is the notion that you're with America or you're against us.  I know, there is that pesky nuance I was talking about earlier.  Yes, the flag and the national anthem are symbols representing the United States, and her citizens, including those that have died fighting to protect her and her citizens.  Yes, I stand during the anthem and honor the flag.  The flag is emblematic of our resilience, generosity, ingenuity, and leadership.  It represents freedom and hope.  It is shorthand for The American Dream.  So, yes, I stand for the anthem and honor the flag.  But my standing is not a blank check.  My standing is not a blind loyalty.  My standing is not an endorsement of everything "American."  Awful things have been done by men and women wearing American flags on their lapels or on their shoulders.  Terrible decisions have been made in buildings over which that banner waves.  I can simultaneously be thankful for our veterans and question the actions of our government. I understand why someone may sit during the anthem or stay silent during the Pledge of Allegiance.  It's not my choice, but I understand.  It doesn't make those objectors "un-American."  It doesn't mean they don't love their country.  It doesn't mean they should leave.  It doesn't make them bad people.  It means they disagree and, last I checked, that was still legal.  If your entire measure of a person is whether he stands during the national anthem, may I suggest that it is you who should rethink your priorities.