Kaepernick Backlash Proves “The Nation Pretends Black Men Don’t Have Minds Of Their Own”
President Barack Obama has weighed in on the Colin Kaepernick National Anthem protest controversy and backed the NFL quarterback’s right to protest as being covered under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Despite the endorsement, Kaepernick’s detractors continue to harbor animosity against him.
During Monday’s edition of NewsOne Now, Roland Martin and his panel of guests discussed the ongoing Kaepernick saga and the protest action that seems to be slowly picking up momentum amongst other pro-athletes after U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe also took a knee during the National Anthem before a recent soccer match.
To add to the support, Kaepernick’s football jersey is the top-selling jersey on the NFL’s www.nflshop.com website.
Martin said Kaepernick’s protest is resonating with many Americans because“he is making a point that is critically important and he’s not some guy who is clueless” on the issues of racism and police brutality.
Michelle Bernard, President and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, said she was disgusted by many of the comments posted on social media by those who do not agree with Kaepernick’s chosen method of protest. She explained there is a contingent of Americans who have expressed outrage by saying, “How dare you? You make so much money in the NFL, this is not a problem, you shouldn’t be speaking out on this. Take your money, be happy, and this is so unpatriotic.”
Bernard then refuted those claims: “We live in a country where you are able to speak your mind and if you’re White … not get shot because you’ve done it.”
Watch Roland Martin and the NewsOne Now panel discuss the backlash to Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem protest in the video clip above.
VIDEO HERE:
Air Date: September 7, 2016