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I agree with him also on the point but to try and compare it to slavery only causes the message to get lost. I was discussing this with someone else today and I said to prove his point, is Kaepernick a better QB than Peterman?
There have been other black players that have expressed the same thing. Many black and brown folks know the feeling. I don't know if the comparison is equal or valid to slavery but people that don't know the full experience shouldn't downplay or dismiss their feelings because they are their feelings. Feelings that have been downplayed by white folks for generations. They own them. It's like a white person telling a black person that they are not being discriminated against because it's not by the book discrimination that they've been taught or witness.
Black peoples feelings of inferiority are downplayed every day. It doesn't matter their age, gender, orientation, religion, social class, celebrity status, etc. We will always find many black folks that agree with Kaepernick and James because we feel their experience. You have to relate to fully understand. But again, Lebron is standing up for what he believes as well as Kaepernick, you won't find many black folks that disagree with them including me. I have 3 brothers and many uncles, friends, cousins etc that respect them for speaking up for the millions of black boys and men that don't have a national platform to speak on injustice. The people that don't like it, that's not James and Kaepernick target audience anyway. But their target audience, black and brown people appreciate it. They know that and that's all that matters. That's why they do it.
There have been other black players that have expressed the same thing. Many black and brown folks know the feeling. I don't know if the comparison is equal or valid to slavery but people that don't know the full experience shouldn't downplay or dismiss their feelings because they are their feelings. Feelings that have been downplayed by white folks for generations. They own them. It's like a white person telling a black person that they are not being discriminated against because it's not by the book discrimination that they've been taught or witness.
Black peoples feelings of inferiority are downplayed every day. It doesn't matter their age, gender, orientation, religion, social class, celebrity status, etc. We will always find many black folks that agree with Kaepernick and James because we feel their experience. You have to relate to fully understand. But again, Lebron is standing up for what he believes as well as Kaepernick, you won't find many black folks that disagree with them including me. I have 3 brothers and many uncles, friends, cousins etc that respect them for speaking up for the millions of black boys and men that don't have a national platform to speak on injustice. The people that don't like it, that's not James and Kaepernick target audience anyway. But their target audience, black and brown people appreciate it. They know that and that's all that matters. That's why they do it.
Agreed. LeBron's feelings should not be downplayed or dismissed. They should be recognized for what they are - racial hostility.
Peaceful protest is not to make folks feel comfortable. That's the point. They will always have more supporters for it than against it because many people feel how they feel and experience what they experience. The people that haven't experienced it know someone that has experienced it. Good for them for standing up for what they believe and not hiding before money and celebrity as many celebrities do. It's easier to play it safe, not speak up and collect a check. Well, they are doing both and they get respect for that from the people that are speaking to and for, they are role models.
Americans have developed a level of prosperity so great that it allows for the diversion of huge amounts of resources to large black men who play games. Now it seems there is an attempt to create a market for these same men to complain about their situation. How successful this will be remains to be seen.
Peaceful protest is not to make folks feel comfortable. That's the point. They will always have more supporters for it than against it because many people feel how they feel and experience what they experience. The people that haven't experienced it know someone that has experienced it. Good for them for standing up for what they believe and not hiding before money and celebrity as many celebrities do. It's easier to play it safe, not speak up and collect a check. Well, they are doing both and they get respect for that from the people that are speaking to and for, they are role models.
Actually no, incorrect, many people have zero care about these protests, they are meaningless, amounts to whining over trivial BS.
But the criticism of it is how there is some expectation that because they are sports players, somehow the rules of employment are different and special versus everyone else. They are employees, plain and simple, they have no special right to protest or anything, and are not free from consequences of the employer for doing so.
You cannot do these things at any other employer in the US, yet sports players and sup[porters like you, somehow think they are special and deserve some sort of special treatment or something. Actually, I have no idea in hell what you whiny people want.
The government has prevented them from speaking their mind nor protesting. An employer can and does place restrictions on this while at work, and can levy consequences for doing it outside of work. FOr some reason, people like you really cannot understand this.
As for the "slavery" comment, ridiculous, these are millionaires voluntarily playing a damn game. That is really about as far from slavery as a person can get. They not only can quit, they have the financial means to never have to work again. That is more freedom than most of the world will ever have.
I'm not saying he's wrong to feel that way... but that's pretty much what being employed is. Heck, it's kind of how some wives and girlfriends see their husbands and boyfriends. Military service members understand this implicitly early on... I was often puzzled by some recruits attitudes about "no one's telling ME what to do..." I don't think they realized what the military is.
Your argument comparing professional sports to a traditional job or the military breaks down immediately.
A guy working at the post office or a grunt in the military is easily replaced. The skill set is not unique.
The professional athlete is "blessed" to have a unique skill that people are willing to pay to watch. I sure as hell ain't paying to watch my mailman deliver mail (though I am sure he is a nice guy).
The blessing of having a rare/highly coveted skill is what gives these athletes more rights/voice in the workplace than the average Joe.
There have been other black players that have expressed the same thing. Many black and brown folks know the feeling. I don't know if the comparison is equal or valid to slavery but people that don't know the full experience shouldn't downplay or dismiss their feelings because they are their feelings.
I obviously have not dismissed the issue or their feelings but yes, you do know the comparison is not the same.
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Feelings that have been downplayed by white folks for generations. They own them. It's like a white person telling a black person that they are not being discriminated against because it's not by the book discrimination that they've been taught or witness.
There are many negative things blacks have experienced and still experience that whites do not but it is not the same as slavery.
Some of the things are very serious......I do not worry about getting pulled over based upon nothing but the look of my nose but it's not the same as slavery.
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Black peoples feelings of inferiority are downplayed every day. It doesn't matter their age, gender, orientation, religion, social class, celebrity status, etc. We will always find many black folks that agree with Kaepernick and James because we feel their experience. You have to relate to fully understand. But again, Lebron is standing up for what he believes as well as Kaepernick, you won't find many black folks that disagree with them including me. I have 3 brothers and many uncles, friends, cousins etc that respect them for speaking up for the millions of black boys and men that don't have a national platform to speak on injustice. The people that don't like it, that's not James and Kaepernick target audience anyway. But their target audience, black and brown people appreciate it. They know that and that's all that matters. That's why they do it.
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I've supported Kaepernick from the beginning of his protest. He doesn't have a job for one reason......he was willing to speak his mind. I find that sad and dissapointing but it's not slavery.
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