TERRY MOSHER
The strange case of Colin Kaepernick got stranger this past week when the Seahawks entertained the idea of the controversial quarterback visiting for a workout and then postponed the visit when Kaepernick would not agree to stand for the playing of the national anthem.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016-17 season when he protested racial injustice in the country by refusing to stand during the playing of the national anthem. The protest spread to most of the other NFL teams and President Donald Trump jumped into the controversy by criticizing the protesting players. The protests eventually cooled off, but no team has surfaced to sign Kaepernick during a time when there is a shortage of quality quarterbacks. The Seahawks, in fact, signed Stephen Morris the day Kaepernick was to work out for the team. Morris, a free agent signee in 2014 out of Miami, has been in the league since, mostly on practice squads, and has yet to throw a pass in the league.
There is little doubt that Kaepernick is being blackballed. Teams are signing backup quarterbacks that are far inferior to Kaepernick, including Morris. That should tell you all you need to know.
Kaepernick has a right to protest. Racial injustice in this country continues on, and may even be increasing. Last month, a young black man – Stephon Clark was shot at 20 times and was hit eight times, six in the back, and was killed by police in Sacramento, who were responding to a call that said somebody was breaking windows in cars. Clark was in his own backyard and was discovered to be holding a cell phone, which police thought was a gun.
I think it’s unjust for Kaepernick to be blackballed for his beliefs, especially when other players receive less severe punishment for crimes like domestic abuse. I understand it’s difficult to quantify beliefs – we all have them, and I would suggest we are all different in those beliefs – but to punish somebody (and Kaepernick is being punished) for them is wrong.
Kaepernick has filed a grievance against the league. He accuses team owners of colluding to keep him out of the league. I would suggest, knowing how power structures work, that his grievance has only hardened owners against him, and I don’t think his grievance will dent the power aligned against him.
At this point, I can’t image a team signing him. Trump and his vocal supporters would come down hard on the team, costing it money, and as we all know money talks.
It’s a shame that it has come to this, but the world isn’t fair (and becoming less fair by the day) and to expect justice for Kaepernick is a dream that won’t come true. He probably won’t play again in the league
The story line that is not getting big play (Sports Illustrated did a story on this last December) is that Kaepernick has donated over $1 million to help others. He may not be able to help himself, but he is doing a lot for others who need the help. That makes this story even less fair.
Kaepernick stands for the right in the world. The wrong in the world he fights against.
“No matter what I have to sacrifice,” he told SI, “if you see wrong in the world you must say that it is wrong.”
The problem for most people, and certainly NFL team owners, they don’t see this side of Kaepernick. They only see him take a knee during the National Anthem. That is too bad, but that is the way it is. Fairness often takes a back seat and we just shrug our shoulders and move on.
That’s enough for today. I hope with spring flowers starting to poke their heads up above ground this finds you in glorious light.
Be well pal.
Be careful out there.
Have a great day.
You are loved.
