Letter: Colin Kaepernick’s sit-in during the national anthem is self-serving

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 30, 2016

My mind works in odd ways.

When I first became aware of Mr. Colin Kaepernick’s (San Francisco 49ers quarterback) stand, or more correctly sit-in, concerning the playing of the national anthem, I recalled the very first quote that I was made to memorize when I was in the sixth grade. It has been attributed to Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Having made an idiot out of myself in public more than once, I can easily recognize it when someone else is performing a like act. A very measured and polite response to Mr. Kaepernick’s public declaration is that he is being something less than genuine.

His remarks about how black citizens of the United States of America are at peril from the police are as inflammatory as they are factually incorrect. Perhaps he should do some objective research into homicide rates, causation and circumstances involving black victims and his position of protest might be radically changed.

For all his rhetoric, I have yet to hear him describe his volunteer work in the off season with “at risk youth” anywhere. Nor am I aware of any financial contributions he has made to fine organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Mr. Kaepernick seems to be long on caring for the spotlight but caring little about anything or anyone else. As wrong as it is, the ironic twist to all of this is that if Mr. Kaepernick’s physical safety is ever threatened — and I sincerely hope that it is not — those very agents of oppression that he condemns will be there to protect him even at the risk of their own lives.

Bill Brown

LaGrange

Editor’s note: Clarification added in parenthesis.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2016/08/web1_STOCK-LettersRGB-14.jpg