A fri…err… a person I know on Facebook posted the note in this image, below. My reply follows —  for all it takes for evil to succeed is for a good person to stay silent.

^^ “I’m not racist, but…” rant.^^

My Reply:

I know, I know… you’re not really looking for responses. Or discussion.  You just want to wave your flag, to let your fellow tribe-mates know where you stand. 

Nevertheless, I dive in.

The NFL has a collective bargaining agreement with the players, negotiated by the NFLPA, defining the rules of employment. 

It includes uniform rules.  Every instance you (or the person you ‘cut/paste’ from) cite involves a player violating the agreed rules about their uniform appearance.

There is NOTHING in the player’s labor agreement mandating any specific behavior during the Anthem. Period. The NFL isn’t displaying cowardice.  They are abiding by law, and legally enforceable labor contracts. 

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Now let’s deal with your real beef.

I hope someday you can find it in your heart to fight against injustice (no matter WHO is inflicting it), and feel the pain of the unjustly murdered, with the same vocal opposition you deploy here to protect a song.

I hope that someday you can empathize with the completely different experience of this country as enjoyed by white people, versus people of color, and not feel like that empathy is an attack on you.

I know I’m not likely to inspire your conversion — to understand or support Kaepernick’s powerful protest against police brutality, against the killing of unarmed black men by police officers willing to use excessive force, knowing their brothers in the Thin Blue Line will cover for them, and the system rarely prosecutes (that’s changing, thank Goodness.)

But every time I stay silent when this kind of denial crosses my feed,  I contribute to the death of the next Philando Castile, or Botham Jean, or Tamir Rice, or… shit, read a small list of police killing black men.

(Note:  if you immediately feel defensive and want to spout a statistic about black on black crime, or shout “Chicago!” you are only digging the hole deeper.)

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No more silence. This kind of racist denialism, and (on a different issue) #MeToo sexual harrassment, happens before our eyes every day, and it is time to stop being complicit. See something? Say something.