I must admit, I was not always a fan of Colin Kaepernick. I have never been much for the copious tattoos and the image that was presented of him. When he led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl several years ago, I was rooting for the Baltimore Ravens, the National Football League team of the city where I currently live, in spite of Kaepernick’s Afrikan ancestry (which was not really discussed in the news or sports pages). And my desire to see 5-foot-9-inch Afrikan-American quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks succeed led me to root for that team against Kaepernick’s 49ers, who competed in the same division (the NFC West).
While I still may root for those teams when they face the 49ers, I now consider myself, on the strength of this young man’s great courage to stand up against racism and injustice and do so at the risk of his career and livelihood, a strong Colin Kaepernick fan.
And the numbers of people who feel the same way is finally and thankfully growing, regardless of whether or not he ever regains the stardom he had achieved several years ago as the “next great revolutionary quarterback”. Perhaps he will now become revolutionary in another, much more relevant way.
To get one thing straight, Kaepernick has not said that he hates America. He has not said anything about disrespecting the military. In fact, he has begun to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem to demonstrate respect for those who sacrifice for their country. He has not called for the murder of police, though the socks portraying pigs in police uniforms serve as a statement against brutal, corrupt and racist police officers. He has made an important statement to awaken the conscience of a nation that currently risks careening headlong into the murky waters of white supremacy, hyper-nationalism, so-called “nativism” and xenophobia. Rather than be condemned for his stance, he should be thanked for giving this country a chance to wake up before it’s too late.
Professor William Small recently offered such a note of thanks to him in a commentary that was distributed by the group Justice Initiative (“Thanks to Colin Kaepernick And Those Who Can’t Stand Racial Injustice“) and which we have shared in a separate post here. Professor Small’s commentary informs, reinforces and echoes other commentaries which we link to below.
It says something hopeful about the American public that, after an initial barrage of ridicule, condemnation and even threats against Kaepernick for his stand against standing for the National Anthem before National Football League games (such as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin urging all Americans to “sack this ungrateful punk”, http://www.mediaite.com/online/sarah-palin-urges-violence-against-ungrateful-punk-colin-kaepernick/), a number of people have since come to his defense and an important discussion about patriotism, racism and hypocrisy has (again) begun. On September 1, Jeremy Lane of the Seattle Seahawks expressed his solidarity with Kaepernick and began sitting himself as the anthem was played, and members of his own team have also expressed solidarity with (or at least respect for) his action, either for exercising his right to free speech or his in-your-face critique of ongoing institutional racism, specifically in the form of police brutality and murder against unarmed Afrikan-Americans such as Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland and Tamir Rice, among so many others. After an initial spate of public burnings of his football jersey by angry 49ers fans, the NFL Shop has recorded sales of that same jersey that topped those of all other players as of September 3.
For those who may be wondering why this apparent reversal is happening and are unaware of the historical connection between the national anthem and the sordid past of the United States (which has influenced the angry, recalcitrant and grossly uninformed responses of those who defend the ongoing injustices of this country against its citizens of Afrikan, Latino and Indigenous descent), we would like to share some of what has come out about this most revered of American anthems in the days and weeks since Kaepernick first announced what had begun as a lonely, one-man protest, a protest that now seems to be nearing a level of critical mass to perhaps rival that of “Black Lives Matter”, a similarly-provocative call for introspection among Whites and those who call themselves “patriotic” and for a degree of unity and, dare I say it, Pan-Afrikanism from those of us who are of Afrikan descent.
The Black Agenda Report shared two insightful articles about the “racist, imperial obsessions of Francis Scott Key” in a commentary that can be read in full at http://blackagendareport.com/blood-spangled_banner_anthem:
The Blood-Spangled Banner: An Anthem for Slavery, Genocide and Empire, Submitted by Sam Husseini on Tue, 08/30/2016 – 19:24
The U.S. was born in slavery and genocide, so it is no wonder that its anthem puts to music its claim to stolen land on behalf of the “free” – as opposed to the slave and the vanquished native. But the U.S. was also conceived as a White Man’s Empire, primed for endless expansion. Thus, the same anthem celebrates the defeat of the “turban’d head” of Muslims in North Africa. Two articles address the racist, imperial obsessions of Francis Scott Key.
Colin Kaepernick is Right: The National Anthem is a Celebration of Slavery by Jon Schwarz, which previously appeared in The Intercept, and The Anti-Muslim Origins of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Sam Husseini, which originally appeared on Sam Husseini’s blog, PostHaven.
Elder Sadiki Olugbala (“Bro. Shep”) of the Universal Zulu Nation out of New York City offered a commentary, which we share in full below, that highlights the hypocrisy of standing for freedom while also standing for a “white supremacist Amerikkkan theme song”:
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER IS A RACIST & GENOCIDAL SONG
Tuesday, Black August 30, 2016
Universal Zulu Nation Factology: From Panther-Zulu King Bro. Shep
The 1st and 2nd Verses of the United States National Anthem are no doubt known for their glorification of the rockets, bombs and war of free Colonial American “white” men to bring about independence from the political rule of free British “white” men underneath the triumphant waving flag of the racist & genocidal “Star Spangled Banner.” But when one reads the lesser known 3rd and 4th Verses then it becomes clear that Black, Native & Latino people should NEVER STAND when this white supremacist Amerikkkan theme song is being played & “Right On” to San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick to sit when it’s played.
The below 3rd Verse of the United States National Anthem clearly states that escaped Black Slaves
who sought to find freedom during the war were nothing more than a band of doomed, foul smelling subhumans who should be hunted down, killed & sent to their blood graves by free “white” men underneath the triumphant waving flag of the racist and genocidal “Star Spangled Banner.”
“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 wiped 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.”
The below 4th and final Verse of the United States National Anthem clearly states that it is with God’s & Heavens blessing, praise, power that First Nation peoples be killed, conquered and that their so called “Indian” lands be taken over, preserved and forever forcefully ruled by free “white” men underneath the triumphant waving flag of the racist and genocidal “Star Spangled Banner.”
“Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved 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!”
Nuff Said…
Shawn King of the New York Daily News wrote a piece (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-stand-star-spangled-banner-article-1.2770075) entitled Why I’ll never stand again for ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, which we offer an excerpt of below:
Shawn King
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, August 29, 2016, 1:02 PM
Now that I have learned the truth about our national anthem and its author, I’ll never stand up for it again.
First off, the song, which was originally written as a poem, didn’t become our national anthem until 1931 — which was 117 years after Key wrote it. Most of us have no true idea what in the hell we’ve been hearing or singing all these years, but as it turns out, Key’s full poem actually has a third stanza which few of us have ever heard. In it, he openly celebrates the murder of slaves. Yes, really.
It goes like this:
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.
While it has always been known that the song was written during American slavery and that when those words about this nation being the “land of the free” didn’t apply to the millions who had been held in bondage, few of us had any idea that the song itself was rooted in the celebration of slavery and the murder of Africans in America, who were being hired by the British military to give them strength not only in the War of 1812, but in the Battle of Fort McHenry of 1814. These black men were called the Corps of Colonial Marines and they served valiantly for the British military. Key despised them. He was glad to see them experience terror and death in war — to the point that he wrote a poem about it. That poem is now our national anthem.
While I fundamentally reject the notion that anyone who owned other human beings was either good, moral, or decent, Francis Scott Key left absolutely no doubt that he was a stone cold bigot. He came from generations of plantation owning bigots. They got wealthy off of it. Key, as District Attorney of Washington, fought for slavery and against abolitionists every chance he got. Even when Africans in D.C. were injured or murdered, he stood strong against justice for them. He openly spoke racist words against Africans in America. Key said that they were “a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.”
While San Francisco 49ers quarter back Colin Kaepernick has refused to stand for the national anthem because of the overflowing abundance of modern day injustice in America, he has helped bring to light the fact that this song and its author are deeply rooted in violent white supremacy. …
Like Kaepernick, I’ve had enough of injustice in America and I’ve had enough of anthems written by bigots. Colin Kaepernick has provided a spark.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” should’ve never been made into our national anthem. That President Woodrow Wilson, widely thought to be one of the most bigoted presidents ever elected, chose it as our national anthem, is painfully telling as well. We must do away with it like South Africans did away with their monument to Cecil Rhodes. We must do away with it like South Carolina did with the Confederate Flag over their state house.
Of course, removing the culture of white supremacy does not necessarily remove its effects, but we must simultaneously and passionately address both. I’m joining Colin Kaepernick, who joined in with the spirit of Rosa Parks, by standing up for our rights by sitting down. I hope you join us.
And no less than legend of song and screen and human rights icon Harry Belafonte has come to Kaepernick’s defense in an interview with Roland Martin of News One Now.
http://www.eurweb.com/2016/09/harry-belafonte-calls-on-hundreds-of-black-athletes-to-stand-with-colin-kaepernick/
Harry Belafonte Calls on ‘Hundreds’ of Black Athletes to Stand with Colin Kaepernick
… Belafonte said that as an American civil rights activist who also had a strong and influential platform to voice his opinions about America’s treatment of African-Americans, he is very proud of Kaepernick protest.
“To mute the slave has always been to the best interest of the slave owner,” said Belafonte. “I think that when a Black voice is raised in protest to oppression, those who are comfortable with our oppression are the first to criticize us for daring to speak out against it. I think that it’s a noble thing that he [Kaepernick} has done. I think that speaking out and making people aware of the fact that you are paying homage to an anthem that also has a constituency that by the millions suffer – it’s a righteous thing to do. The fact that these people are having these ‘how dare you speak out against lynching out of all of the things’ that racism stands for, or the conclusion to racist acts a permit, I think is a statement about America.”
Belafonte’s stance was reinforced in a Washington Post Commentary (https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/08/30/insulting-colin-kaepernick-says-more-about-our-patriotism-than-his/?utm_term=.7058b99e52b4)on August 31 by no less than NBA legend and human rights activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
Insulting Colin Kaepernick says more about our patriotism than his
The Washington Post
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
During the Olympics in Rio a couple weeks ago, Army Reserve second lieutenant Sam Kendricks was sprinting intently in the middle of his pole vaulting attempt when he heard the national anthem playing. He immediately dropped his pole and stood at attention, a spontaneous expression of heartfelt patriotism that elicited more praise than his eventual bronze medal. Last Thursday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose not to stand with his teammates during the national anthem. To some, Kendricks embodies traditional All-American Forrest Gump values of patriotism, while Kaepernick represents the entitled brattish behavior of a wealthy athlete ungrateful to a country who has given him so much.
In truth, both men, in their own ways, behaved in a highly patriotic manner that should make all Americans proud. …
One of the ironies of the way some people express their patriotism is to brag about our freedoms, especially freedom of speech, but then brand as unpatriotic those who exercise this freedom to express dissatisfaction with the government’s record in upholding the Constitution. Colin Kaepernick explained why he will not stand during the national anthem: “There are a lot of things that are going on that are unjust [that] people aren’t being held accountable for. And that’s something that needs to change. That’s something that this country stands for — freedom, liberty, justice for all. And it’s not happening for all right now.”
What makes an act truly patriotic and not just lip-service is when it involves personal risk or sacrifice. Both Kendricks and Kaepernick chose to express their patriotism publicly because they felt that inspiring others was more important than the personal cost. Yes, Kendricks is a world-record pole-vaulter, but every athlete knows that breaking focus and concentration during a high-pressure competition can be devastating to the athlete’s performance. The Olympics was filled with favorites who faltered because of loss of focus. Halting his run in order to honor the national anthem could have cost Kendricks his medal. He was willing to take that chance.
Likewise, Kaepernick’s choice not to stand during the national anthem could create a public backlash that might cost him millions in future endorsements and affect his value as a player on his team, reducing salary earnings or even jeopardizing his job. If team ticket sales seriously dipped as a result, he would pay for his stance.
We should admire those who risk personal gain in the service of promoting the values of their country. Both athletes are in fine company of others who have shown their patriotism in unconventional ways. In 1989, when a federal law prohibiting flag desecration went into effect, Vietnam Veterans burned the American flag as a protest to a law curbing the First Amendment. Their argument was that they fought for the freedoms in the Constitution, not a piece of cloth, and to curtail those freedoms was an insult to their sacrifice. Ironically, the original purpose of flag desecration laws between 1897 and 1932 wasn’t to prevent political dissent, but to prevent the use of flag imagery for political campaigns and in advertising. …
What should horrify Americans is not Kaepernick’s choice to remain seated during the national anthem, but that nearly 50 years after Ali was banned from boxing for his stance and Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ raised fists caused public ostracization and numerous death threats, we still need to call attention to the same racial inequities. Failure to fix this problem is what’s really un-American here.
Certainly, more will be said about Karpernick, his stand (or, rather, his decision not to stand) and what it means to defend the truth in the face of the blitz of blind patriotism. Perhaps one day soon, people will begin to realize that without truth, patriotism is empty, and that the real patriotism is the kind that requires our “sacred institutions” to measure themselves against the scales of truth. We in the Afrikan-centered Pan-Afrikan community call this principle, or set of principles, by the name given to it by our Ancient Afrikan Ancestors: the moral code of Ma’at. Then, when a person’s patriotism is more consistent with real morality, justice and truth, it becomes truly honorable, and worthy of song.