Social Question

Vignette's avatar

Would you approve or disapprove of Colin Kaepernick playing again in the NFL?

Asked by Vignette (2890points) November 17th, 2019

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who started kneeling during the National Anthem and was soon out of a job, over the weekend held an NFL workout session to promote his ability to still play in the league. Should he get another shot at pro football? Why or why not?

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58 Answers

ucme's avatar

As far as I can make out, he was a pretty bog standard player & only gained public attention through his kneeling gesture, so yeah, he should play again but probably won’t pick up any trees while doing so.

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

No.
His job was to throw the football not cause divisive problems for that franchise.

KNOWITALL's avatar

Yes, approve. If it would stop his constant whining and martyr complex.

ucme's avatar

@KNOWITALL Which team did he play for? NFL ain’t my strong subject, I could just google but can’t be bothered.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@ucme San Fran 49ers.

ucme's avatar

@KNOWITALL Ahh cheers! They’re doing very well without him, look certain for a play-off place. I’m a bit of a Panthers fan myself, mainly because, well…I like panthers!

rebbel's avatar

If he’s good at his sport, and he’s as good or better than competitors (who are looking for a signing), sure, why not.

MrGrimm888's avatar

He was a super bowl qb. He was black listed. He should at least be a backup qb. It’s stupid he isn’t.

SergeantQueen's avatar

I’m honestly not sure but I feel it won’t happen because people may protest more and the NFL probably wants all that over and done with by now.

Darth_Algar's avatar

Why would I care either way?

Dutchess_III's avatar

Of course he should play if someone wants him to play. That kneeling shit storm was bullshit.

ragingloli's avatar

Hong Kong protesters shooting arrows at pigs: The world cheers.
A black guy kneels: HOW DARE HE! TRAITOR!

Dutchess_III's avatar

Hong Kong shot arrows at pigs?

Dutchess_III's avatar

Jaysus @ragingloli. Yeah. Compare that to Kaepernick protesting by kneeling. America is an asshole.

SergeantQueen's avatar

@Dutchess_III I think if you compare many of the worlds (outside of America’s) problems, you realize that America isn’t actually as much of an oppressive, horrible place after all. And I don’t mean that sarcastically. I understand America has issues and is by no means perfect but we are a lot better off than probably 98% if not more, of other countries.You have countries where women are just starting to legally be allowed to drive, where women are still beaten and having acid thrown at them for being raped. As I said, America is by no means perfect, but we aren’t a terrible country.

I also understand that people are able to focus on many issues at once, and I hate when people always go “Why focus on this when this worse thing is happening” but it sort of applies to things like this. I understand fully people were super pissed over him kneeling, but come on guys. I heard somebody say kneeling for the anthem is worse than rape and murder… You can choose to focus on any issue you want but jeez try to keep things in perspective.

I think if he is hired again by all means, he should play. I just don’t think he will be hired again because I think the NFL is just done with the drama of it all, and they don’t want to lose any (more?) money.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I love America, but our rights are so protected, and we’re so safe and unoppressed that it’s giving rise to a whole new brand of idiots who have a need to be outraged every day. And they need to make shit up.

SergeantQueen's avatar

@Dutchess_III I really agree with that. I think we do have serious issues in our country, and I also believe we have some made up or blown out of proportion “issues” as well, but I will keep those to myself.

Darth_Algar's avatar

@Dutchess_III “I love America, but our rights are so protected, and we’re so safe and unoppressed that it’s giving rise to a whole new brand of idiots who have a need to be outraged every day. And they need to make shit up.”

White folks are safe and unoppressed. That’s often not the case for black and brown folks however.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Let’s not nitpick about who is safe and uncompressed. If you’re going to do that, then get real. The only people who actually ARE, are white males. Not POC, not children, not women. White males only.

The difference in America is there are people actively fighting to ensure the same protections for everyone. In other countries you aren’t even allowed to protest or do anything about it

SergeantQueen's avatar

North Korea for example. You are actually blocked from reading articles that expose the truth of whats going on in your country. Americans are (most of them at least) well aware of the issues and most don’t agree or like that it’s happening and are making the steps to try and change injustice.

Darth_Algar's avatar

@Dutchess_III

Yeah, how many white women have the officer approach the car with their gun drawn after being pulled over for a minor traffic violation?

SergeantQueen's avatar

I don’t know but I’d like a number for the amount of black people that have had that happen as well. I’m sure it’s quite small.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I think it’s more prevalent than we’d like to believe @SergeantQueen.

The difference, @Darth_Algar, is that the country is not condoning or ignoring the problem. We are actively working to change it.
In oppressed countries they don’t even address the problems.

SergeantQueen's avatar

No. I really don’t believe that police officers are doing that without a reason other than “Oh, he’s black” It may happen, but it certainly isn’t prevalent.

MrGrimm888's avatar

So black people deserve more interest, when being “objectified” by LEOs? BULLSHIT….

Dutchess_III's avatar

More interest than whom @MrGrimm888?

Darth_Algar's avatar

@Dutchess_III “The difference, @Darth_Algar, is that the country is not condoning or ignoring the problem. We are actively working to change it. ”

Sure. Hence why, when, say, a black athlete or entertainer points out the issue they’re told to “shut up and play”, “stay in your lane”, “nobody wants to hear your politics”, etc.

MrGrimm888's avatar

Dutch. He was black balled…

josie's avatar

If he had any champion level talent or qualities he would be hired tomorrow. His problems are a result of his mediocrity. He overestimated his value to the NFL..

Jons_Blond's avatar

His protest wasn’t bullshit. White people getting offended because of his silent protest was bullshit. He wasn’t a great quarterback but he deserves a chance.

Jons_Blond's avatar

@SergantQueen Black people are pulled over all the time just because of their skin color. It happened to a good friend of ours who visited us in our mostly white small town where I lived in Illinois. He had done nothing wrong. The officer asked him “What are you doing on this side of the river?” Peoria, where most of the black people lived, was on the other side of the Illinois River from where my husband and I lived.

MrGrimm888's avatar

^One of my guys (officer’s) cousins, was killed in Columbia SC. His wife arrived, and taped the scene. That’s where they saw a black officer, plant a gun next to the guy’s body. Pretty fucked up, and definitely a reason that I am not in law enforcement, anymore.

tinyfaery's avatar

The ignorance in this thread is appalling. Racism is alive and well in America.

I couldn’t give a fuck about who does or doesn’t play a stupid game. If he was blacklisted because of his protests that is discrimination and against fair hiring practices.

Dutchess_III's avatar

The funny thing is, the ones who condemn his protest the most are the same ones who claim to fiercely defend the Constitution.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Dutchess_III While no human rights instrument or national constitution grants the absolute right to protest, such a right to protest may be a manifestation of the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of speech.-wiki

Dutchess_III's avatar

We are granted the right to peacefully protest. It’s the most fundamentally democratic right we have.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Dutchess_III Sure but we are never free of repercussions.
Would you do it at your job and expect no repercussions?

Everyone is just making new rules, like the NFL, players can stay in the locker room if they choose, otherwise they need to stand. (May 2018)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/15/sports/nfl-colin-kaepernick-protests-timeline.html

Imboden got sanctions by the Olympics and may be ineligible to compete next year because they agreed not to.
”.... all athletes on the US team signed that states they will not “make remarks or release propaganda of political, religious or racial nature, or any other kind” during the Games.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/aug/10/race-imboden-kneels-national-anthem-pan-am-games

ragingloli's avatar

”.... all athletes on the US team signed that states they will not “make remarks or release propaganda of political, religious or racial nature, or any other kind” during the Games.”

Which, if you love monkey’s paws, would naturally include standing and holding your hand over your heart during your anthem. That technically is also propaganda.

Man, think of the supreme irony of getting punished for expressing yourself politcally in the self-proclaimed “land of the free”.
What a joke.

Darth_Algar's avatar

Having freedom of speech doesn’t mean that you are free from consequences. I absolutely have the right to, say, call Donald Trump an imbecilic piece of crap. But if I’m saying that at work my boss absolutely has the right to fire me.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@ragingloli I would have to disagree based on the actual definition of propaganda.

And according to this, it can be used for any political cause, some of which many of us would not agree with, so better not to do it at all.

On Aug. 10, 1883, Cap Anson, the owner-manager-first baseman of the Chicago White Sox, took his team to Toledo, Ohio, to play an exhibition game. He demanded that the Blue Stockings not play Moses Fleetwood Walker, the African-American catcher. Walker wasn’t going to play anyway because he was injured, but when informed of Anson’s demand, Toledo manager Charlie Morton took a stand and called his bluff, starting Walker in right field. Said Anson, “We’ll play this here game, but won’t play never no more with the n—–.” Toledo joined the American Association the next year, and on May 1, 1884, Walker became the first African-American major leaguer when he took the field against Louisville. Three years later, Anson finally got his way when owners enacted a rule barring black players from professional baseball.’
https://theundefeated.com/features/athletes-and-activism-the-long-defiant-history-of-sports-protests/

raum's avatar

I don’t think your boss has a right to fire you for thinking poorly of Trump. Unless you’re standing on your desk and declaring it with a megaphone.

Jons_Blond's avatar

Where was all the outrage when an NFL player beat his wife? Or when Michael Vick ran a dog ring? Why didn’t some of you boycott the NFL then or burn your jerseys then? A black man kneels during the national anthem and it’s the end of the world. smh

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Jonsblond Many of us were outraged at those issues, as well.

I don’t even care about Colin myself, but since he and the NFL reached an agreement and settlement, seems like he should move on and stop whining instead of waiting 30 minutes before workout to change locations.
https://youtu.be/A8LSNMiseEA

Ray Rice hasn’t played professionally since 2013. Contract was terminated, suspended.-wiki

(edited to add:)
I was a Vick fan and was very hurt by his participation and lying.

An astounding number of football fans have decided to give him a second chance.
An equally astounding number of fans have not.

Read more at https://dogtime.com/trending/28239-michael-vick-deserve-forgiveness-nfl-fans-draw-line#3ucVvzPS3XI8IICM.99
Read more at https://dogtime.com/trending/28239-michael-vick-deserve-forgiveness-nfl-fans-draw-line#iK4FyjVYAFGm82Px.99

Jons_Blond's avatar

Colin is whining? Good grief.

Y’all are just pissed because you think he disrespected the flag and that was not what he did.

What Colin did do was show us who all the racists are.

Dutchess_III's avatar

@ragingloli That was a perfect point! Pledging allegiance to the flag is a political act.

Darth_Algar's avatar

@raum

Not thinking, saying. And while at work. So yes, your boss absolutely has the right to fire you then. Personally, if I ran a business I’d bar employees from any and all political speech while they’re on the clock.

raum's avatar

@Darth_Algar You’re right. Not all states have laws that protect you from discrimination based on political beliefs.

Sometimes I forget that I’m in this little California bubble.

Dutchess_III's avatar

In Kansas you can be fired for nothing at all.

Darth_Algar's avatar

@raum

You’re still confusing my statement. I’m not talking about beliefs. I’m talking about specific behavior.

MrGrimm888's avatar

@KNOWITALL Reid had a son that was in constant trouble. I think that’s why he gave Vick, a second chance.

raum's avatar

I am confused. By specific behavior, do you mean my megaphone example or just expressing your political view?

MrGrimm888's avatar

^He simply knelt, during the nation anthem.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@MrGrimm I believe in second chances, for sure. I voted yes on this.

I have a real hard time with Vicks because I read the details and saw pics. It was pretty heinous, brudda. I dont know, but I’ll never be a fan again.

MrGrimm888's avatar

No. I have not supported Vick.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@MrGrimm My point was if Vick got a second chance, pretty much anyone should. Colin was standing up for others and against injustice. I just think it was the wrong format personally.
After this weekends debacle I think he’s done himself in though. Sigh.

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