Due to Trump’s low approval ratings, the president has taken on a campaign-like rally across the United States to prove just how much the American people adore him. Today, the president landed in Louisville, Kentucky to talk about his usual spill of reforming the American economy, job creation, etc, etc. However, the president also had time to get something off his chest involving San Francisco 49er’s quarter back Colin Kaepernick (see video below).
Yes, you can see despite Colin Kaepernick protesting in a nonviolent manner, people who call themselves patriots, think Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling was offensive even though it clearly states in our constitution “Freedom of Speech”. But aside from our constitution, lets take a look at the lyrics of our “Star Spangled Banner”.
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bomb bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
‘Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave. From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What’s truly offensive is that these same people are not only paying attention to the actual lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner, but they fail to acknowledge what Kaepernick is protesting about (which is the oppression and police brutality minorities face daily in the US). Moreover, the irony of all of this is that despite Colin being nonviolent in this stance, the systematic oppression shown in this nation now carries a burden on Colin as an athlete in the NFL due to him speaking out about oppression in a manner not approved by these same oppressors!
So what has the “oh so horrible” Colin Kaepernick done since he’s kneeled during the National Anthem?
Since Colin’s bold stance, the young quarterback has made a pledge to donate $1 Million of his 2017 salary to underprivileged communities. So far he’s donated $500,000 of his pledge to various organizations like Mothers Against Police Brutality, Urban Underground, Meals On Wheels, Black Youth Project 100, just to name a few. The former 49ers Quarterback is even going international with his contributions by collaborating with Ben Stiller, Chaka, Casey, Juanpa, and Amandato for the #LOVEARMYFORSOMALIA campaign. So far the campaign has done exceptionally well, raising a current total of $2.2Million. All proceeds and donations of this campaign will help bring food & water to people suffering from famine in Somalia.
Although Colin Kaepernick is still unsigned, nothing is stopping him from leading by example & making an impact by supporting the very people that he was speaking up for during his last season playing for San Francisco. Donald Trump’s ignorance aside, Kaepernick is in a difficult situation. The same organization that he helped lead to a Super Bowl basically turned on him the minute he stood up for the unheard. Regardless of Colin’s ability to play next season, his actions have lead him to become one of the greatest athletic philanthropist of our time and the history of sports.
Moreover, the beauty of all of this is that Colin Kaepernick has made more than enough money to continue his altruistic deeds whether he has a job in the NFL next year or not. We must say, it’s a beautiful sign to see an athlete who isn’t compromised by money or change, but purely out of the moral and ethics of his/her heart.
Product Of Society 