Recently, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick — along with his former teammate Eric Reid — agreed to withdraw their collusion complaint against the NFL in exchange for an undisclosed financial settlement. In the aftermath of the settlement I have heard and read commentaries that accuse Kaepernick of “selling out.” Many of his erstwhile supporters argue that he should have stayed the course until a team offered him a contract. One columnist wondered what would have happened if human rights icons like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Thurgood Marshall had “settled” various grievances rather than doggedly pursuing justice. In the words of my high school history teacher, Mr. Wright, my response to such criticism is: “That’s a bunch of blue shoes.”
Colin Kaepernick is not a “sellout.” He did not “betray” his ideals or the movement that he spawned. Kaepernick knelt to protest racial injustice and discrimination — with a particular focus on police brutality toward African-American men and boys. Initially, he sat on the bench during the singing of the National Anthem before football games. Then he had a deep discussion with a retired Green Beret named Nate Boyer. (Interestingly, Boyer had a brief stint playing with the Seattle Seahawks.) Boyer was initially upset with Kaepernick, but rather than simply stew in his anger, he decided to reach out to him. Kaepernick responded and their dialogue led to his agreeing to “take a knee.” (Given the vitriol that this peaceful protest engendered, I would point out the great irony that kneeling is often a sign of respect, humility or submission in various contexts — including among soldiers who show respect for fallen comrades.)
The settlement is said to have been as much as $100 million, though most estimates range from $60-$80 million. Still other reports suggest that the settlement is substantially less than those amounts. Whatever the actual figure is, it is irrelevant — at least to some degree. Why? First, Kaepernick and Reid forced the NFL to settle. Continuing to pursue their complaint likely would have caused the league to reveal closely-held operational practices, which they would have been loathe to have done. Second, Kaepernick and Reid did not kneel to get a fat check from the NFL; they were blackballed by the league as a result of their kneeling. The dishonesty of their haters notwithstanding, their talent would have guaranteed that neither man would have missed a pay period had they decided to cease kneeling. Third, the NFL is a $9 billion behemoth whose stars routinely sign contracts in excess of $100 million. Whatever amount Kaepernick and Reid were paid is — comparatively speaking — a paltry sum, especially given that the settlement was likely spread across all NFL 32 teams. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, whatever one thinks of the settlement, the fact is that it has caused the spotlight to remain on the reasons behind the protest — even though no NFL games will be played for six months.
Of course, those who are disappointed that Kaepernick settled are not the only ones who have weighed in. Many of those who were opposed to the protests are now attempting to cast Kaepernick as a has-been who “put one over” on his sympathizers. No amount of empirical evidence to the contrary would disabuse them of that false notion. Likewise, pointing out that their indifference and inaction constitute tacit approval of the discrimination that Kaepernick is protesting would do nothing to change their minds. In the end, Kaepernick and Reid — like Muhammad Ali before them — were willing to sacrifice their livelihood in pursuit of a goal that is infinitely more valuable than championships or the ephemeral glory that attaches to athletic prowess. I applaud them for giving up a game that is played by kids so that they could take a stand as men.
https://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_b9854a64-35e2-11e9-9f88-bfca3baca0a0.html
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