Recently Botham Jean, a 26-year-old black man, was in his Dallas apartment doing whatever the fuck he wanted to do because he was in his own apartment, when a white female police officer came to his door and killed him.
This is exactly why the NFL players are protesting. So, tell me again why the NFL protests are senseless?
It doesn’t matter anyway, because black folks won’t collectively stop watching the games and in turn, NFL players have stopped on-the-field protests. For the second week in a row the number of players protesting against over-policing of black communities has dwindled to three. Three players are still keeping the Colin Kaepernick candle of on-field protesting burning in the second week of grown men colliding at full speed over a ball more commonly called the National Football League.
For the second week, Miami Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneeled during the national anthem while Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn raised his fist as the national anthem played.
“We started the protest two years ago now and we’re not going anywhere,” Stills said, according to the Palm Beach Post. “It’s not going to change. Activism isn’t something you just kind of get involved in and then turn your back on it.”
While those players continued the protest the way in which Kapernick intended it, several players protested by staying in the locker room during the anthem.
Sports Illustrated reported that Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and linebacker Brandon Marshall, were not on the field during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner,” America’s anthem with the widely ignored slave verse.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett, who has been one of the most vocal players since the protest began also waited in the locker room as the national anthem played. The NFL’s other 80 percent of black players were all on the sidelines during the anthem.
But none of it matters since black folks still support the NFL, wear jerseys on Sundays and post Facebook photos of themselves wearing jerseys and supporting the NFL.
If you don’t care, why should they?