What can I do as an older White Male to help curb the violence against men and women of color?
What can I do to change the attitudes of multi generations that perceive men and women of color as inferior?
The National Football League response to the Black Lives Matter movement and associated events has been weak.
If the league and the Patriots in particular, want to do something substantive, they could sign Colin Kaepernick.
He was ostracized for kneeling while the National Anthem, was played. He was protesting the exact thing thousands of protesters are doing today, police brutality towards people of color. All people saw was his “disrespect for the flag”. No one initiated any meaningful dialogue with him or any who knelt.
I will admit that I, too, was offended. I worked my entire career with the men and women of our armed services. I have known some that gave the ultimate sacrifice. I have come to also understand the other side of the argument.
Legendary Celtic Bill Russell is taking on Donald Trump in tweet war. Taking a knee, according to Russell, was never about disrespecting the flag. It was about bringing attention to the issue. Had we had this dialogue three years ago and implemented some type of training or awareness, perhaps George Floyd might be alive today.
Patriots, show the world that you are serious about this issue, sign Kaepernick; give him back the forum that he once had as a NFL player. Have the discussion with him and others so that it might foster a level of comprehension and new way of thinking.
By signing him you know that you will be opening up to, a media circus, and the accompanying backlash surrounding him and the issues of racial equality and police brutality. If you truly want to make a difference, however, bringing Kaepernick back into the NFL fold would be one giant step towards it.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
He’s too expensive and has been inactive too long. No sense committing to a player just to prove a point.
No, signing Kaepernick would be a purely political move. Bill Belichick is about winning football games, not making political statements. Besides, they already have Jarrett Stidham, who’s been in the wings the past two years as backup. It’s Stidman’s time to start..
In 2015/016 he was horrific. I don’t think he improved being inactive for 3 years. If the NFL thinks they were unjust to Kap just get all the teams to chip in some money and buy him off.
Make him commissioner instead—can’t be any worse than Roger
Sign him for political reasons – sure…let’s trash the team. What’s it been? 5 years and his last 20 games he was 3-17. You probably think he’d be great in the locker room too.