Famed Hollywood director and producer, Spike Lee, is promoting a protest rally in support of Colin Kaepernick to be held infront of NFL headquarters in New York City on August 23. The former 49er quarterback is currently a free agent without a team.
The rally supported by celebrities is a protest in what they perceive as a “blackballing” of the controversial player turned Black Lives Matter icon by NFL teams over his disruptive political activism on the field against cops and a system they perceive as “racist.”
Spike Lee posted this Colin Kaepernick protest rally poster on Twitter to his millions of followers. Credit: Twitter/Spike Lee
On Tuesday, Lee tweeted a poster about the rally on Twitter where he has over one million followers. This became a trending topic setting social media on fire. Under intense scrutiny and feeling the pressure, Spike Lee later clarified that while he did not “set up the protest,” he does support the professionally beleaguered, still unsigned quarterback.
With the football season about to begin, Kaepernick remains unsigned with teams avoiding him. One team, the Seattle Seahawks invited him for a visit but did not sign him but only the Baltimore Ravens which had expressed interest in him stopped short of signing him.
A significant symbolic statement by Colin Kaepernick on his socks showing cops as pigs. Credit: Ben Margot/AP
The snubs and silence by teams has raised speculation that Kaepernickhe is being blackballed by the NFL for his activism on the field such as refusing to stand for the National Anthem and showing up wearing socks depicting cops as pigs.
A closer look a the socks shows the quarterback player wearing the controversial socks in support of Black Lives Matter (BLM) ‘s position on cops. Credit: Sacramento Bee
While many celebrities and commentators on the Left have commended the Hollywood legend, there remains an overwhelming opposition from NFL fans and the general public to have Colin Kaepernick back on the field with his divisive and destructive activism.
When people purchase tickets for the game or pay exorbitant cable subscriptions to watch the games, the last thing they need to see is a protest on the field hijack the game.
Colin Kaepernick during a protest refusing to stand for the National Anthem and takes a knee instead. Credit: Getty Images
Football is a business and NFL team owners are employers who have a right to choose players they want. Just like Kaepernick has a right to express his views on issues, they, too, have a right to choose who their hire or fire from their teams.
Kaepernick’s rights while justified do not extend on the field and on paid time where his political activism becomes a costly disruption.
While Spike Lee and other celebrities can rally behind the unsigned quarterback, NFL fans and the public cannot forget the damage to the games caused by his disruptive actions.
Former 49er seen here walking off the stadium with his fist up in the air in September 18, 2016. Credit: Gerry Melendez for ESPN
This is a person who refused to honour the National Anthem, wore socks to the game depicting cops as pigs and who also wore a pro-Castro t-shirt to a news conference.
Colin Kaepernick’s activism started long back before his National Anthem protests as shown here by one of many posts on his Instagram account. Credit: Instagram
Colin Kaepernick was not a team player. He was an agitator and provocateur who is seen as a huge liability to any team and NFL. He is now paying for his choices.
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