The Colin Kaepernick story just never ends. He is on the cover of Time magazine this week. The story talks about how the movement is spreading rapidly through the sports world. The Miami Dolphins, the US women’s soccer team- most notably Megan Rapinoe, The New york Liberty (Women’s professional basketball, The Minneapolis South High School girl’s Volleyball team, The Seattle Seahawks Jeremy Lane and the Denver Bronco’s Brandon Marshall, to name just a few.
Jerad Odrick, Jacksonville Jaguar’s defensive end, starts out an essay in Sports Illustrated with a quote from James Baldwin, which reads:
“To a black child in America, it comes as a great shock around the age of five, six or seven, to discover that the flag to which you have pledged allegiance, along with everybody else, has not pledged allegiance to you.”
He goes on to say:
As an NFL player, I’ve asked myself on multiple occasions, Do I want to speak the truth or do I want to make money? (Athletes are losing endorsement deals over this issue).
Then we have that brilliant philosopher and Chicago sports icon Iron Mike Ditka (avid Donald Trump Supporter), who, when asked about the issue, gave this reply:
“I have no respect for Colin Kaepernick. He probably has no respect for me, that’s his choice. My choice is, I like this country, I respect our flag, and I don’t see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on.” Colin Kaepernick get the hell out” of America if he doesn’t like it here.”
There you have it- the moron speaks!!!
Yesterday, I went to an all day Rap and soul festival. The day was filled with many odes to bling, degrading women, and enough bad language that it could never be aired on television. What stood out for me was a moment when John Legend brought Common out on stage to sing the anthem that they won an Academy Award for last year- the song Glory, from the film Selma.
Hands to the Heavens, no man, no weapon
Formed against, yes glory is destined
Every day women and men become legends
Sins that go against our skin become blessings
The movement is a rhythm to us
Freedom is like religion to us
50,000 people in the stadium, black and white, young and old stood side by side with their fists in the air as these words came out of the speakers, and Mike Ditka and his kind meant nothing.
There was also a great moment early in the week when Chance the Rapper, who put on the event, went to ticket scalpers in the city and bought up all the tickets that they were planning to upsell and gave them out to kids in Chicago.
Maybe the world can change for the better after all.