I have conversations with my 16-year old son about how to conduct himself in the presence of law enforcement. He’s not a troublemaker. He’s a young black man living in a predominately white neighborhood.
WOW!!
Kneeling vs. Standing!
Military vs. Civilians!
Patriotism vs. Nepotism!
Right vs. Wrong!
Courtesy: FiveThirtyEight
It’s so hard for some people to pick a side when discussing the topics mentioned above.
I get it. So why not simplify the situation?
Ever since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee in favor of standing during the national anthem, there has been an uproar amongst many americans. Not just mere football fans, I might add, but americans in general.
Kaepernick and countless other athletes, who share his views, have made it very clear that their stance isn’t geared toward the Armed Forces or about disrespecting the american flag. They’ve all said it’s about police brutality, racial injustice, inequality, sexism, freedom of speech, and a host of other social issues.
They’ve let it be known that the american flag, which is suppose to uphold the liberties they are denied, is really part of a larger hypocrisy that many americans readily accept–as the way things are and should be.
As a black man–not an “african american,” but a black man living in america–I can relate on almost every level.
My family and I live in the suburbs. My children enjoy a lot of the luxuries that come with parents who earn a six-figure income. Yet, I still find myself having conversations with my 16-year old son about how to conduct himself in the presence of law enforcement. It’s not because he’s a troublemaker. It’s because he is a young black man living in a predominately white neighborhood.
Why am I having these conversations with a great kid, student, and model citizen? It’s because of the climate in which we live.
Unarmed black men and women are being killed by white police officers without legal repercussion. How is that justice?
Courtesy: Ebony
If a black man kills another black man–even if he’s armed–then he’s going to be arrested and eventually placed in prison. But police officers are getting placed on administrative leave with pay and are subsequently given their jobs back.
Eric Garner was killed on camera by NYPD detectives using an illegal chokehold ruled homicidal by the Coroner’s Office. But the District Attorney didn’t even move for an indictment! How is that justice for the Garner family? No Grand Jury, no indictment, and no trial.
It’s becoming an all-too-familiar situation for people of color in this country.
Kneeling–and not honoring a flag that represents a nation unjust to a certain group of people–shouldn’t be met with a hate-filled narrative from the leader of the free world (P.O.T.U.S.), military personnel, police officers, congress, team owners, and fans.
Colin Kaepernick, Michael Bennett, Eric Reid, Nate Boyer, and many others, including me, will kneel.
america has shown us its true colors, so we’ll show it ours. …in a quiet, less violent way.
