'United We Stand' rally for Colin Kaepernick in NYC

[T-post Tom]

Surprised this didn't happen sooner.......


We're a couple weeks into training camp and Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent, and it's unclear if that will change in the coming weeks and months.
One explanation for Kaepernick's current situation: He hasn't been very good in recent seasons. Another take is that Kaepernick is being blackballed for his stance on social-justice issues. That's why there will be a rally at NFL headquarters in Manhattan on Aug. 23 to support the embattled quarterback, according to a tweet from filmmaker Spike Lee.

This comes three months after Kevin Livingston, the president of 100 Suits for 100 Men -- one of the organizations Kaepernick worked with earlier this year -- organized a "stand up" outside the NFL's New York City headquarters as a show of solidarity with the quarterback.
"He stood up for us," Livingston told ESPN's Michael Rothstein at the time. "It's only right that he took our issues in our communities and brought it to a national level and sacrificed salary and being ostracized by the NFL. It was only right that we stand up for him. I started this, literally, when he came to my office -- I was moved. I work with parolees. People usually want to ostracize this particular population. Me working with him on the front lines and him coming to my office, this is not the first time I've worked with him. So I thought it was only right that I stand up for him."

"We're not protesting," Livingston continued. "This is not anti-NFL. This is not going against the police. What we're doing exactly is we're showing solidarity to the league on behalf of Colin Kaepernick. This is nothing planned by him. This is all me.
"But I have to say, Colin Kaepernick really moved me when he did that for our community. And so ... the reason why I chose [NFL headquarters] is the league needs to see that Colin is being supported. And that we're buying consumers and that our dollars matter and I don't think it's fair the way he's being treated by the league. I just want to make that very clear."


Kaepernick, who played for the 49ers from 2011-2016, began last season on the bench behind Blaine Gabbert, but was reinserted into the starting lineup in mid-October. When it was over, he had started 11 games and completed 59.2 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed 69 times for 468 yards and two scores. But according to Football Outsiders' metrics, Kaepernick ranked 30th among all quarterbacks, just ahead of Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Osweiler and Jared Goff.

The Seahawks showed interest in Kaepernick in May, and the Ravens appeared to close to signing him earlier this month. Nothing materialized and Kaepernick is still looking for his next opportunity.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/s...ernick-in-nyc/

Does Kaepernick want starter money? http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/s...-rumors-060217

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

Is that why people kneel when they pray?

Kneeling has, traditionally in western culture and others, been viewed as a sign of reverence or submission. I actually think we've had this discussion before...

That's obviously not what Kaepernick was doing when this started (and the first time he didn't kneel. He simply stayed planted on the bench), but it appears you're just rationalizing a distinction where the sentiment was the same.

What peters did is the black power salute made famous by the black panthers, and you'd have to be pretty damn naive to think that's NOT what he was doing.

Nobody should care. Just play ****ing football. These guys aren't philosophers and I don't expect them to be.

Yeah, I have to agree here. It seemed pretty obvious, especially given the timing.

.. and, honestly, who cares? It didn't bother me when Kaep kneeled, Peters threw up the black fist, or the Rams players came out with their "hands up, don't shoot". It also doesn't bother me when they sprawl out the flag over the entire field, sing the anthem, or Bob Costas talks about gun control.

As long as your message isn't mean-spirited or hateful you're all good in my book.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

Is that why people kneel when they pray?

Kneeling has, traditionally in western culture and others, been viewed as a sign of reverence or submission. I actually think we've had this discussion before...

That's obviously not what Kaepernick was doing when this started (and the first time he didn't kneel. He simply stayed planted on the bench), but it appears you're just rationalizing a distinction where the sentiment was the same.

What peters did is the black power salute made famous by the black panthers, and you'd have to be pretty damn naive to think that's NOT what he was doing.

Nobody should care. Just play ****ing football. These guys aren't philosophers and I don't expect them to be.

First off, I already agreed it was subjective.
Second, no people kneel for different reasons. If Kaep had said that he knelt out of reverence for the flag, that would be different. His statement reinforced the notion of abstention.
Third, the black power connection is not incompatible with the notion that Peters is supplementing respect for the flag with additional messaging, as opposed to withdrawing respect and support altogether.
Finally, none of this means any particular symbolic message alone is superior or inferior. Just adding my observations to the [subjective] mix.

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

First off, I already agreed it was subjective.
Second, no people kneel for different reasons. If Kaep had said that he knelt out of reverence for the flag, that would be different. His statement reinforced the notion of abstention.
Third, the black power connection is not incompatible with the notion that Peters is supplementing respect for the flag with additional messaging, as opposed to withdrawing respect and support altogether.
Finally, none of this means any particular symbolic message alone is superior or inferior. Just adding my observations to the [subjective] mix.

Same for me. Just how I view it, and I know Colin wasn't being reverent or submissive, but Peters Black power salute had the same sentiment. Anything about 'adding too' or 'subtracting from' is just how you're viewing it, and yes I know you acknowledge that. I don't see much legitimate difference. Both were individual players trying to call attention to what they perceive as oppression of the black community by police in the US. People know he wasn't ACTIVELY trying to insult the service men and women, but it's convenient to stand on the backs of dead soldiers to demonize a ****ing football player? It stinks.

The only reason I think ANYONE cares is because of the media reaction. The Kaep thing could have blown over just as quickly, but ESPN was desperate for a pro athlete to be the face of BLM and Kaep was a starting QB. As the pro athlete face of BLM, much of america channelled their support or anger at the group at him.

Again, I don't think he ever intended it to become what it did, and I don't think he's smart enough to have the vision to know the long term consequences.

He's the progressive Tebow. That's all there really is to it. I suggest minor league baseball.

[srvy]

The bottom line is if Kap could help a team he would be signed by now but he sucks so bad it isnt worth it. When the injuries hit he will get a call because its a business and they will sign the best turd of the bunch.

[cwhocares]

When they are playing in a game they are "at work". I don't see why Goodell put up with it. I would have told all personnel that these kind of protests are not allowed while you are on the NFL stage. PERIOD!!!!!! If you want to do something on your own time, fine. That is you right under the constitution. There is no place for it during game time in any sport. We tune in to the games for entertainment. Not to see political propaganda.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

And then I said to myself, "self, if you're having trouble getting to sleep, you can always come to CP and read the dazzling commentary provided by Baby Lee and White Whale. Why, to read these two minds of the day debating each other, is to enjoy an intravenous overdose of dullards delight"!
Careful though, you may actually die from exposure.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Do you actually examine other people's behavior at a ballpark?

I couldn't give a ****. I'm there to watch a game.

JFC, so much mother****ing judgment in this thread.

Live and let live, assholes.

that's what I'm doing.
I don't agree with it, but I'm not losing sleep over it .
if the guy next to me wants to sit during the anthem, or check his fantasy lineup, more power to him. I think it's shitty, but I'm not going to make a scene or confront / say anything to him.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by scho63

The more these Liberal idiots do shit like this, the better it is for Republicans. It seems to me the far Left doesn't even give a shit anymore to understand the 95% of Americans who hate their message. They just keep plowing ahead with their social cause warrior ideas.

I'd bet 95% of Americans don't ****ing care. Not everyone lives their lives viewing everything in the entire world through a binary Republican/Democrat filter like you do.

[J Diddy]

My opinion: **** this guy.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

First off, I already agreed it was subjective.
Second, no people kneel for different reasons. If Kaep had said that he knelt out of reverence for the flag, that would be different. His statement reinforced the notion of abstention.
Third, the black power connection is not incompatible with the notion that Peters is supplementing respect for the flag with additional messaging, as opposed to withdrawing respect and support altogether.
Finally, none of this means any particular symbolic message alone is superior or inferior. Just adding my observations to the [subjective] mix.

Further proof that we're making rules up as we go along.

If Tebow kneeled before the anthem in prayer, who would have been upset?

If kaepernick raised a fist and Marcus Peters later took a knee, I'd bet we'd view fist raising as totally disrespectful and kneeling as only somewhat disrespectful. We're making these rules up as we go along and then acting like those rules have always been there.

It's pretty laughable that players hold team meetings to vet in advance what unwritten rule gestures are appropriate.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Further proof that we're making rules up as we go along.

If Tebow kneeled before the anthem in prayer, who would have been upset?

If kaepernick raised a fist and Marcus Peters later took a knee, I'd bet we'd view fist raising as totally disrespectful and kneeling as only somewhat disrespectful. We're making these rules up as we go along and then acting like those rules have always been there.

It's pretty laughable that players hold team meetings to vet in advance what unwritten rule gestures are appropriate. Oh, so the Seahawks chose to link arms. Even though they're also protesting, that is considered appropriate?

Its not complicated man, one is making a point while participating, the other is a refusal to participate. Its that simple.

I know some people are offended at people yelling "Chiefs" at the end of the anthem and I understand why. But again that's participation not refusal to participate and not meant to be derogatory to the anthem.

Intent is a key component to something being offensive or not wouldn't you say?

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Its not complicated man, one is making a point while participating, the other is a refusal to participate. Its that simple.

I know some people are offended at people yelling "Chiefs" at the end of the anthem and I understand why. But again that's participation not refusal to participate and not meant to be derogatory to the anthem.

Intent is a key component to something being offensive or not wouldn't you say?

I don't see how Marcus Peters' intent is any different.

Or how Brandon Marshall or the other dozens of athletes who kneeled are any different.

And if we're really talking semantics, the biggest offender in recent years was Carlos Delgado who chose not to even walk onto the field for God bless America. He was booed, but he wasn't blackballed nor was he nearly this hated because his anti war stance was less controversial. I bet most here don't even remember him doing that

People hate kaepernicks politics and are using his form of anthem protect as an excuse to start attaching labels to him like anti military. That's over the top. What he did was disrespectful, it's no more disrespectful than other nfl players who are breaking unwritten rules of anthem observance for the same protest.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Fish

I'd bet 95% of Americans don't ****ing care. Not everyone lives their lives viewing everything in the entire world through a binary Republican/Democrat filter like you do.

Most people don't, but unfortunately there's a lot of people that spend their lives tied up in senseless political arguments that go nowhere and never solve anything.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

People hate kaepernick

This is all you needed to type. Dude is an unlikable douche bag.

And that plays a role as well.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

This is all you needed to type. Dude is an unlikable douche bag.

And that plays a role as well.

Well, yeah. Douche bag. Backup. See, im not consistently wrong about everything