Surely, you are aware of calls to boycott games from the National Football League (NFL) this 2017 season which is slated to begin this coming Sunday. Most of this call is motivated by the fact former San Francisco Quarterback - Colin Kaepernick - was first told by San Francisco back in January that they planned to release him. As a result, Kaepernick "opted out" of his contract. In lay terms, what all of that means is he resigned before he was going to be fired. He did this because by resigning, he would be eligible to sign with other teams earlier instead of waiting to let what San Francisco was deciding determine his fate. Everyone reading this should understand that because most of us have done the same thing at one time or another. The twist has been Kaepernick hasn't received one contract offer since March of this year, when he became eligible to sign with other teams. Not one offer.
African people and all folks committed to justice are outraged by this because we fully understand that Kaepernick's critics are completely full of horse manure. Their claim is that he remains unemployed because of his skill deficiencies. Well, pretty much every NFL Quarterback, except maybe two of them, have significant deficiencies. And without question, from every statistical and metric standpoint, Kaepernick's upside outranks several Quarterbacks who have been signed since March. His detractors, true to their hypocritical and cowardly nature, completely ignore those facts. They even have the audacity to criticize Kaepernick for wearing a shirt with Fidel Castro on it while in the same breath parroting that same old stale lie this is a free country. Besides the fact those people don't have enough information about Fidel to fill a thimble...Well, you get the point about those jack @sses. And along with those losers, so many voices within the NFL, including many handpicked dark spokespersons for the NFL elite, have tried their best to continue to diminish the truth about what's happened to Kaepernick e.g. he's being targeted for standing up against white supremacy and police terrorism. The slave is supposed to do nothing except represent the interests of the master. If the slave develops a mind of their own and disobeys, their severely punished. Whether its 1717, or 2017, that still hasn't changed. That's why so many people are upset. That's why they are calling for everyone to provide the NFL with the same level of respect and support that it provides us - zero - by not watching any games this season. By not buying any NFL gear. By doing everything to force professional football to feel the brunt of disrespecting us.
I agree with all of the above reasons, but those reasons alone are not the complete picture as to why I'm taking the stance I'll take. I'm a life long football fan. I played for a long time myself. I've gone to countless San Francisco 49er football games and watched many, many, more. I say all of that because I've heard the non football fans who are upset about the NFL's racism express how much they don't understand why anyone would have a hard time boycotting professional sports. For you good people I will just say that everyone needs something to help them make it through the day in this decadent system. And, I'm going to speak up for myself and say not everyone contributes as much as some of us. Not everyone sacrifices as much as some of us. Now, I don't drink alcohol, do any drugs, not even weed. I don't gamble and you won't find me at the clubs chasing women. So, sports is and has always been that one thing that permits me to escape from my frustrations, anxieties, and depression, regarding this system I live under that works hard to dehumanize me and everyone else on a daily basis. And, I'm a life long S.F. fan. No one enjoyed the 49ers run through the Super Bowl in 2012 anymore than I did and Kaepernick was a huge part of that run. No one enjoyed their subsequent trip to coming within a few yards of making the Super Bowl again the following year, and he was again, a major part of that run. I promise I won't criticize you for the ways you engage in your self care, so please understand that I'm not, and never have been, selling out the revolution by watching a game or two. No more than you are by taking a drink, toking up, or doing whatever you do to get yourself through. I understand the NFL, National Basketball Association, and other professional sports are gladiator leagues. I understand our people are slaves on the plantation there for European entertainment. I understand very few of these professional athletes are worth a seating on the toilet. That's why although I've always followed sports, I've never approached any of these athletes I've seen in public. And, I've seen several. Derek Jeter, Charles Barkley, Reggie Jackson, Barry Bonds, Chris Webber, Gary Payton, Mike Tyson. Those are some I know I've been within 10 feet of off the top of my head, but although I appreciate their skills at what they do, I'd never approach any of them because I don't see their athletic abilities, although impressive to me, as anything that deserves my personal recognition in that regard. Its not at all like the time I body guarded for the late Dr. Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X. Now, that time, I couldn't wait to talk to her and tell her what had been on my mind about her, her husband, her children, since I was 17. To me, she deserved that respect because she sacrificed quite a bit for justice and liberation. So, just so you understand the difference between what entertains me and what inspires me.
This is why my reason for boycotting the NFL this reason is inclusive of the reasons previously mentioned, but is so much more. At this point, Colin Kaepernick is so much more than how I saw him in 2012/13 when I loved him as a football player. Now, he's a person with integrity which is much more than someone who can run the ball across the goal line. I know I need to boycott because Colin has helped all of us remember Frederick Douglass's correct analysis that "there is no progress without struggle." I need to sacrifice. I need to figure out how to be better. And, by not watching football, I'm forcing myself to do that. And, its not going to be easy because after almost four decades of being a fan, my body clock is tuned to the fact its time to watch some football. The desire to do so is strong. The pressures on me aren't any less so I definitely have the need to fill that void. This boycott is forcing me to figure out healthier ways to do that. I can't deny that this struggle will only make me an even stronger person because its more than likely that I probably won't ever return to watching football ever again because I'll find something else. That's usually how things end up for me when I decide to do something like this. Maybe I'll get even more reading done. More writing done. More Sunday organizing. Football never was a priority over my work. In fact, for years I had work study meetings on Sundays and I never skipped work study for football. So, we'll see. I don't know. I'm working on it, but I know this boycott is forcing me to do that which is good for me and good for all of us. That's why I'm not going to be watching this year. That to me is the most important lesson Kaep has given us. How many of us are willing to push ourselves farther in order to become stronger? How many of us will push ourselves to more sacrifices. Are we willing to sacrifice enough to win our struggles for justice and liberation? That's what this moment symbolizes for me. I'm going to do my best to be a good student and I guess I am going to issue a call to action for everyone to do your best in this same regard. Let's see how many real students we still have out here?
African people and all folks committed to justice are outraged by this because we fully understand that Kaepernick's critics are completely full of horse manure. Their claim is that he remains unemployed because of his skill deficiencies. Well, pretty much every NFL Quarterback, except maybe two of them, have significant deficiencies. And without question, from every statistical and metric standpoint, Kaepernick's upside outranks several Quarterbacks who have been signed since March. His detractors, true to their hypocritical and cowardly nature, completely ignore those facts. They even have the audacity to criticize Kaepernick for wearing a shirt with Fidel Castro on it while in the same breath parroting that same old stale lie this is a free country. Besides the fact those people don't have enough information about Fidel to fill a thimble...Well, you get the point about those jack @sses. And along with those losers, so many voices within the NFL, including many handpicked dark spokespersons for the NFL elite, have tried their best to continue to diminish the truth about what's happened to Kaepernick e.g. he's being targeted for standing up against white supremacy and police terrorism. The slave is supposed to do nothing except represent the interests of the master. If the slave develops a mind of their own and disobeys, their severely punished. Whether its 1717, or 2017, that still hasn't changed. That's why so many people are upset. That's why they are calling for everyone to provide the NFL with the same level of respect and support that it provides us - zero - by not watching any games this season. By not buying any NFL gear. By doing everything to force professional football to feel the brunt of disrespecting us.
I agree with all of the above reasons, but those reasons alone are not the complete picture as to why I'm taking the stance I'll take. I'm a life long football fan. I played for a long time myself. I've gone to countless San Francisco 49er football games and watched many, many, more. I say all of that because I've heard the non football fans who are upset about the NFL's racism express how much they don't understand why anyone would have a hard time boycotting professional sports. For you good people I will just say that everyone needs something to help them make it through the day in this decadent system. And, I'm going to speak up for myself and say not everyone contributes as much as some of us. Not everyone sacrifices as much as some of us. Now, I don't drink alcohol, do any drugs, not even weed. I don't gamble and you won't find me at the clubs chasing women. So, sports is and has always been that one thing that permits me to escape from my frustrations, anxieties, and depression, regarding this system I live under that works hard to dehumanize me and everyone else on a daily basis. And, I'm a life long S.F. fan. No one enjoyed the 49ers run through the Super Bowl in 2012 anymore than I did and Kaepernick was a huge part of that run. No one enjoyed their subsequent trip to coming within a few yards of making the Super Bowl again the following year, and he was again, a major part of that run. I promise I won't criticize you for the ways you engage in your self care, so please understand that I'm not, and never have been, selling out the revolution by watching a game or two. No more than you are by taking a drink, toking up, or doing whatever you do to get yourself through. I understand the NFL, National Basketball Association, and other professional sports are gladiator leagues. I understand our people are slaves on the plantation there for European entertainment. I understand very few of these professional athletes are worth a seating on the toilet. That's why although I've always followed sports, I've never approached any of these athletes I've seen in public. And, I've seen several. Derek Jeter, Charles Barkley, Reggie Jackson, Barry Bonds, Chris Webber, Gary Payton, Mike Tyson. Those are some I know I've been within 10 feet of off the top of my head, but although I appreciate their skills at what they do, I'd never approach any of them because I don't see their athletic abilities, although impressive to me, as anything that deserves my personal recognition in that regard. Its not at all like the time I body guarded for the late Dr. Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X. Now, that time, I couldn't wait to talk to her and tell her what had been on my mind about her, her husband, her children, since I was 17. To me, she deserved that respect because she sacrificed quite a bit for justice and liberation. So, just so you understand the difference between what entertains me and what inspires me.
This is why my reason for boycotting the NFL this reason is inclusive of the reasons previously mentioned, but is so much more. At this point, Colin Kaepernick is so much more than how I saw him in 2012/13 when I loved him as a football player. Now, he's a person with integrity which is much more than someone who can run the ball across the goal line. I know I need to boycott because Colin has helped all of us remember Frederick Douglass's correct analysis that "there is no progress without struggle." I need to sacrifice. I need to figure out how to be better. And, by not watching football, I'm forcing myself to do that. And, its not going to be easy because after almost four decades of being a fan, my body clock is tuned to the fact its time to watch some football. The desire to do so is strong. The pressures on me aren't any less so I definitely have the need to fill that void. This boycott is forcing me to figure out healthier ways to do that. I can't deny that this struggle will only make me an even stronger person because its more than likely that I probably won't ever return to watching football ever again because I'll find something else. That's usually how things end up for me when I decide to do something like this. Maybe I'll get even more reading done. More writing done. More Sunday organizing. Football never was a priority over my work. In fact, for years I had work study meetings on Sundays and I never skipped work study for football. So, we'll see. I don't know. I'm working on it, but I know this boycott is forcing me to do that which is good for me and good for all of us. That's why I'm not going to be watching this year. That to me is the most important lesson Kaep has given us. How many of us are willing to push ourselves farther in order to become stronger? How many of us will push ourselves to more sacrifices. Are we willing to sacrifice enough to win our struggles for justice and liberation? That's what this moment symbolizes for me. I'm going to do my best to be a good student and I guess I am going to issue a call to action for everyone to do your best in this same regard. Let's see how many real students we still have out here?
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