Athletic Activism

Malcolm X said that all of us have to stand tall for something or fall for anything. All of us also have had to have an evolution in thinking. You can't have a "revolution" without an "evolution." You didn't become the next Huey P. Newton or Angela Davis overnight. It took unlearning attitudes and beliefs and challenging yourself, your privilege, your pride. Evolving what we feel, what we think, how we see the world. 

Colin Kaepernick had such a change.

Peep the hat.

We can't say when for sure. Posts about Martin Luther King, Jr, the Black Panther Party and more didn't show up on his social media accounts consistently until last fall.  All we knew was that he was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who loved football and God. We didn't know where he stood politically. 

On August 26, Kaepernick made it clear where he stands, by sitting down during the national anthem during a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. When asked why, he did not mince words about why he sat. 

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Kaepernick took a stand that neither Lebron James and his boys at the ESPYs or Michael Jordan took. And those names are bigger than his and have more influence.  The ESPYs speeches by James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade and Jordan's monetary donations to organizations helping Black people and the police aimed to play both sides of the fences.

Stay in the middle.

Don't offend anyone.

Kaepernick made it clear he's on the side of justice.

He's not asking for peace. He's asking for justice, for all people in this nation. He's on the American side, where you stand up for what you believe in.  Through Kaepernick's action, we also learned where many stood on America's constant destroying and disrespecting of black bodies.

In actuality, It was never a secret where they stood to be honest. We heard them through their silence. Silence is siding with the oppressor, allowing them to continue disrespecting and destroying our bodies win no protest or pushback. 

But when it comes to the American flag and what it represents? People speak up and stand tall for that.  A flag that stood tall during slavery. A flag that stood tall during segregation and the "separate but equal" era. People are more concerned about respecting this country's flag and what it represents than the daily systemic oppression, disrespect and destruction of black bodies in this country. 

People care more about protecting the nation's flag and what it stands for than protecting all people who live in that nation. They care more about the ideals than living out the ideals: Liberty, freedom and justice. FOR ALL. 

Those who say Kaepernick was wrong and disrespectful? For speaking about how all people don't have liberty and freedom? How all don't get justice?

Well.

know where they stand. 

Editor's note: The website The Root wrote an incredible article over the history of the Star Spangled Banner. We here at the Nerdy NonConformist encourage you to take a read over such a brilliantly researched article.

Michael Livingston resides in the Carolinas and writes in the name of food.  He is an active contributor here at TNNC.  Follow his words and his exploits on Instagram and Twitter at @mikelive06.