Kaepernick denounces 4th of July as ‘celebration of white supremacy’

[Rescued One]

My ancestors were white (unless I had a Cherokee married to a Quaker) but my relatives are all races.

 

[tulc]

I cannot, for the life of me, understand why Colin Kaepernick is still in this country. He has demonstrated how horrible it is to be a black person in America; how oppressive and unfair and institutionally racist America is; and he has more than enough money to purchase an airline ticket to any country in the world, any time he chooses, and the freedom to leave.

So why is he still here?

...my guess would be he understands he can't make something better unless he sticks around to do the work for the change he wants to see.
tulc(just a thought)

 

[Swag365]

I cannot, for the life of me, understand why Colin Kaepernick is still in this country. He has demonstrated how horrible it is to be a black person in America; how oppressive and unfair and institutionally racist America is; and he has more than enough money to purchase an airline ticket to any country in the world, any time he chooses, and the freedom to leave.

So why is he still here?

Maybe he wants to confront a problem head-on instead of running from it?

 

[Wolseley]

...my guess would be he understands he can't make something better unless he sticks around to do the work for the change he wants to see.
tulc(just a thought)

Well, I strongly suspect that his idea of making things better and my idea of making things better are so widely divergent as to be irreconcilable.

However, vast experience has taught me that the wisest thing to do at this point is to quote an infallible truth from an extremely wise and well-educated man, and say "That's all I have t'say about....that."

 

[civilwarbuff]

'You enslaved our ancestors,' the NFL free agent writes in a Twitter message posted Saturday

I always have to chuckle when, as in the case of C.K., people utter such nonsense.......
https://www.history.com/news/american-slavery-before-jamestown-1619

And because so many on the left seem to live/die by Snopes......
FACT CHECK: 9 'Facts' About Slavery They Don't Want You to Know

One of my favorite sayings: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.....words C.K. (among others) would be wise to heed.

BTW, this is a subject that is well researched and finding the info requires virtually no effort at all......

 

[Michie]

I always have to chuckle when, as in the case of C.K., people utter such nonsense.......
https://www.history.com/news/american-slavery-before-jamestown-1619

And because so many on the left seem to live/die by Snopes......
FACT CHECK: 9 'Facts' About Slavery They Don't Want You to Know

One of my favorite sayings: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.....words C.K. (among others) would be wise to heed.

BTW, this is a subject that is well researched and finding the info requires virtually no effort at all......

But... but...

 

[Rescued One]

Before 1400: Slavery had existed in Europe from Classical times and did not disappear with the collapse of the Roman Empire. Slaves remained common in Europe throughout the early medieval period. However, slavery of the Classical type became increasingly uncommon in Northern Europe and, by the 11th and 12th centuries, had been effectively abolished in the North. Nevertheless, forms of unfree labour, such as villeinage and serfdom, persisted in the north well into the early modern period. In Southern and Eastern Europe, Classical-style slavery remained a normal part of the society and economy and trade across the Mediterranean and the Atlantic seaboard meant that African slaves began to appear in Italy, Spain, Southern France, and Portugal well before the discovery of the New World in 1492. From about the 8th century onwards, an Arab-run slave trade also flourished, with much of this activity taking place in East Africa, Arabia, and the Indian Ocean. In addition, many African societies themselves had forms of slavery, although these differed considerably, both from each other and from the European and Arabic forms. Although various forms of unfree labour were prevalent in Europe throughout its history, historians refer to 'Chattel Slavery', in which slaves are commodities to be bought and sold, rather than domestic servants or agricultural workers. Chattel Slavery is the characteristic form of slavery in the modern world, and this chronology is concerned primarily with this form.
Slavery Timeline 1400-1500 - a Chronology of Slavery, Abolition, and Emancipation

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

I cant believe black people are still slaves in the USA. What an evil country.

 

[bèlla]

These situations always expose the racists. Black people are not allowed to do anything but keep quiet and fall in line, in the minds of many. This is clearly evident.

I’m a woman of color. In the 40+ years of life the Lord granted me, I have never encountered these sentiments on this holiday. People of color gathered with friends and loved ones. They celebrated the day through food, activities and fireworks. Whether that occurred at home, the park, or beach the same holds true. No one was talking about race. They were focused on togetherness.

~Bella

 

[tulc]

Well, I strongly suspect that his idea of making things better and my idea of making things better are so widely divergent as to be irreconcilable.

I suspect that could be said for most of us, I also suspect there would be a lot of things that overlapped in some surprising ways.

However, vast experience has taught me that the wisest thing to do at this point is to quote an infallible truth from an extremely wise and well-educated man, and say "That's all I have t'say about....that."

NICE! Seamlessly working a Forrest Gump quote into a thread! Much respect dude!
tulc(knows it isn't as easy as it looks)

 

[Albion]

Well I think there is a connection between the pose and Kaepernick, since he is the one who made it popular. But I don't think intelligent people are going to conclude that because a player kneels at a football game the player agrees with every word that has ever come out of his mouth. It takes a lot of leaps to get from kneeling to asserting that the July Fourth holiday is a celebration of white supremacy.

Not everyone will, that's right. But some will, and not without reason after the latest news from the guy who make the gesture a nationwide subject of conversation.

But let me ask you this. Is there some other visual action that they could do, which you would not view as an attack on America itself?

It's not a matter of me viewing it one way or the other. Kaepernick just defined the issue for us, and I doubt that people can forget such a point-blank declaration as that one was.

But of course, kneeling but not at the raising of the flag and/or playing of the national anthem, and not doing it while also giving the salute that is widely known as the "black power" salute would be a very sensible approach that would reduce tensions while damaging the cause of reform not at all.

 

[Swag365]

I cant believe black people are still slaves in the USA. What an evil country.

Well we are all slaves. But to who is the question.

 

[Philip_B]

The matter of national holidays, becoming a focus for division rather than unity, is not the unique property of the USA. In Australia we face this issue as well, with our first nations people referring to it as Invasion Day. Words such as United, Federation and Commonwealth, seem to have become detached from the original sense of meaning they once carried.

One of the historic problems we face was the arrogant proposition of our forebears that these lands were Terra Nullius (Nobody's Land). In a way it is amusing in Australia to hear talk of 'boat people', when in reality apart from the First Nations Peoples we are all boat people aka maritime arrivals.

The challenges for all of us are to find ways which enable us all to move forward together. When the rivers meet, they join there force together and become a greater river. Not on the basis of 'my history is better than your history', but rather of the basis of learning from one another, enabling one another. and valuing each other as bearers of a common image and likeness in which we are all made.

 

[Philip_B]

Well we are all slaves. But to who is the question.

At this time in the history of the world there are more slaves than at any time in history. It is true that the USA had slaves. It is easy to forget that both Australia and New Zealand also had slaves.

Although it may be against the law, various of the migration practices that continue in most western countries must essentially be understood in the context of slavery. We all need to do better if we are to overcome this scourge on our humanity.

 

[Radagast]

One of the historic problems we face was the arrogant proposition of our forebears that these lands were Terra Nullius (Nobody's Land).

That is actually a persistent left-wing myth. No such pronouncement was made.

The instructions to the first governor in fact acknowledged the existing inhabitants:

You are to endeavour by every possible means to open an Intercourse with the Natives and to conciliate their affections, enjoining all Our Subjects to live in amity and kindness with them. And if any of Our Subjects shall wantonly destroy them, or give them any unnecessary Interruption in the exercise of their several occupations. It is our Will and Pleasure that you do cause such offenders to be brought to punishment according to the degree of the Offence. You will endeavour to procure an account of the Numbers inhabiting the Neighbourhood of the intended settlement and report your opinion to one of our Secretaries of State in what manner Our Intercourse with these people may be turned to the advantage of this country.

 

[Radagast]

Kaepernick denounces 4th of July as ‘celebration of white supremacy’

It clarifies, at least, that "taking a knee" for the anthem was always an attack on the nation itself.

 

[quietpraiyze]

He's absolutely right. It was freedom for white people but not for black people. What Independence did they gain from the war? Zilch.

400 years ago white people brought black people over here and enslaved them. And sold them. And treated them as less than human. For 250 years. While white men formed the country and created its laws and its systems of government. While 10-15 generations of white families got to grow and flourish and make choices that could make their lives better.

And then 150 years ago white people "freed" black people from slavery. But then angry white people created laws that made it impossible for them to vote. Or to own land. Or to have the same rights as white people. And even erected monuments glorifying people who actively had fought to keep them enslaved. All while another 5, 10 generations of white families got to grow and accumulate wealth and gain land and get an education.

And then 60 years ago we made it "legal" for black people to vote, and to be "free" from discrimination. But angry white people still fought to keep schools segregated. And closed off neighborhoods to white people only. And made it harder for black people to get bank loans, or get quality education or health care, or to (gasp) marry a white person. All while another 2-3 generations of white families got to grow and pass their wealth down to their children and their children's children.

And then we entered an age where we had the technology to make PUBLIC the things that were already happening in private-- the beatings, the stop and frisk laws, the unequal distribution of justice, the police brutality (police began in America as slave patrols designed to catch runaway slaves). And only now, after 400+ years and 20+ generations of a white head start, are we STARTING to truly have a dialog about what it means to be black.

White privilege doesn't mean you haven't suffered or fought or worked hard. It doesn't mean white people are responsible for the sins of their ancestors. It doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of who you are.

It DOES mean that we need to acknowledge that the system our ancestors created is built FOR white people.

It DOES mean that we aren't disadvantaged because of the color of our skin and it DOES mean that we owe it to our neighbors-- of all colors-- to acknowledge that and work to make our world more equitable.

((((THANK YOU))))

 

[NW82]

He's absolutely right. It was freedom for white people but not for black people. What Independence did they gain from the war? Zilch.

400 years ago white people brought black people over here and enslaved them. And sold them. And treated them as less than human. For 250 years. While white men formed the country and created its laws and its systems of government. While 10-15 generations of white families got to grow and flourish and make choices that could make their lives better.

And then 150 years ago white people "freed" black people from slavery. But then angry white people created laws that made it impossible for them to vote. Or to own land. Or to have the same rights as white people. And even erected monuments glorifying people who actively had fought to keep them enslaved. All while another 5, 10 generations of white families got to grow and accumulate wealth and gain land and get an education.

And then 60 years ago we made it "legal" for black people to vote, and to be "free" from discrimination. But angry white people still fought to keep schools segregated. And closed off neighborhoods to white people only. And made it harder for black people to get bank loans, or get quality education or health care, or to (gasp) marry a white person. All while another 2-3 generations of white families got to grow and pass their wealth down to their children and their children's children.

And then we entered an age where we had the technology to make PUBLIC the things that were already happening in private-- the beatings, the stop and frisk laws, the unequal distribution of justice, the police brutality (police began in America as slave patrols designed to catch runaway slaves). And only now, after 400+ years and 20+ generations of a white head start, are we STARTING to truly have a dialog about what it means to be black.

White privilege doesn't mean you haven't suffered or fought or worked hard. It doesn't mean white people are responsible for the sins of their ancestors. It doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of who you are.

It DOES mean that we need to acknowledge that the system our ancestors created is built FOR white people.

It DOES mean that we aren't disadvantaged because of the color of our skin and it DOES mean that we owe it to our neighbors-- of all colors-- to acknowledge that and work to make our world more equitable.

So many inaccuracies here I don't know where to start.

 

[NW82]

Kapernick is a fool, as Independence Day had zero to do with so called white supremacy. Any student of history knows that the issues were initially about taxes that were levied against the colonies from Great Britain for the French and Indian War that preceeded the revolution.

 

[kdm1984]

Kaep is reading into it what he wants. But most Americans don't conceptualize the 4th of July at all, one way or another. Most white Americans don't even care about its history, let alone ascribe any ideological meaning to it.

I can tell you that, in all my years of life, I've never once gotten down with any of my relatives and said, "So how about 1776! Go 'merica!" My father's side of the family were the only ones around then anyway. My German mother's side of the family wouldn't come here for over 100 more years. It certainly has no special meaning for them (I think Lutherans believe it wasn't a just war anyway).

Again, it's just a day most people like to get together with family, shoot off fireworks, and eat BBQ. That's all most Americans put into it. No more and no less.