San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick using his platform to take a strong stance to call out the lack of federal action to address the police brutality epidemic against African Americans with the 2016 NFL season just weeks away was a bold and highly-commendable move.
Although many have championed Kaepernick’s decision not to stand for the National Anthem during a recent pre-season game in protest of injustice against Black lives in America, others (including one of his former teammates) have criticized his actions as “disrespectful” to the country he calls home. Funny how that works when the level of respect a professional athlete has for their country is called into question over the Star Spangled Banner, but is barely ever seen mentioned when a police officer kills an unarmed Black teen, right?
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The ridiculousness of people offended by Kaep using his voice — and potentially risking his career — to advocate for an end to police brutality and gun violence isn’t hard to point out, but activist Bree Newsome made the irony of those speaking out against Kaep’s protest crystal clear with a single tweet sent out on Monday morning.
Bree made national headlines herself in 2015 when she climbed to the top of South Carolina State House to remove the confederate flag following the Charleston church shooting that claimed the lives of nine Black bible study attendees when racist gunman Dylann Roof opened fire during their service.
