Fugitive Slave Patrols
Colin Kaepernick | Photo Credit Washington Times
Former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, is back in the spotlight once again, for making what is perhaps his most controversial statement yet. This time it wasn’t about the national anthem or the American flag, but about our country’s police officers.
Needless to say, his remarks aren’t sitting well with law enforcement personnel.
Kaepernick’s comments were made in response to the recent verdict in the Philando Castille case. Castille was shot and killed by Minnesota police officer, Jeronimo Yanez, in July of 2016. Yanez shot Castille in his vehicle after Castille told Yanez he was carrying a gun and had a conceal-carry permit. High on weed, Castille refused to follow Yanez’s directions.
A Minnesota jury acquitted Yanez on all charges last Friday. He was, however, voluntarily separated from his position as a St. Anthony police officer. After the verdict was announced, Kaepernick tweeted a derogatory meme, which said “You can’t ignore your history. You know who they are”
In between the lines, there was a side-by-side photo of two badges-one which had the words “police officer” the other having the words “fugitive slave patrol.” The latter was no doubt meant to reference the antebellum South, where patrolling for runaway slaves was a common practice.
Photo credit: Twitter
“A system that perpetually condones the killing of people, without consequence, doesn’t need to be revised, it needs to be dismantled,” added Kaepernick in the caption. It is this attitude that has kept Kaepernick, once a quality player in the NFL, from finding a new team. His persistent anti-American rhetoric has made him too big of a risk in a sport that is fueled by patriotic fans.
Despite not finding work in the NFL, the athlete has managed to stay busy. Back in May, Kaepernick was spotted handing out old suits outside of a New York City parole office. A short while ago, rumors were circulating that the Seattle Seahawks were eyeing him as a backup quarterback for the upcoming season, but the team eventually decided against hiring him.
Shaun King (Photo credit: CNN)
The Seahawks’ decision prompted pretend black, BLM activist (he is actually white), Shaun King, to defend Kaepernick. King subsequently started the hashtag #BoycottNFL for what he called their “bigotry and anti-blackness.” Somehow, we get the feeling that it’s Kaepernick’s anti-American, and now anti-police, attitude that’s the problem.
