An open letter to Colin Kaepernick and all the professional ballplayers and others who feel it necessary to express their disdain for this country by refusing to stand during renditions of the National Anthem:
I am a 58 year old widow. I have had no children by birth, but have raised several foster children, volunteered with child advocacy groups such as CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates), and freely given of my time to help steer teenage first time offenders away from a life of crime by working on the local Juvenile Conference Committee. I also served on the Family Assessment and Planning Team for several jurisdictions in my community.
I do not volunteer for lack of anything else to do. I am not rich. I am working my way through this life and it is incredibly difficult at times. I am a white woman. Perhaps that disqualifies me in the eyes of some, but I think the above involvement ought to give me some credibility, even if it is considered tarnished by some who think it is outside my realm of reality and none of my concern. But it is my concern. It should be all of our concern.
What I have been witnessing is disgraceful and worthy of public opinion. These young (and a few not so young) are, as I understand it, “taking a knee” to highlight racial injustice and maltreatment of blacks in America, in general. I am sorry, but these men are living lives of wealth and privilege beyond comprehension and they are blaming the country which affords them these benefits? (Not to mention the freedom to do so, but that’s another story.) Now, these men who have God-given talent, surpassing millions of wannabes, are making more money than the majority of hard working Americans could ever dream of in their lifetimes. And they are upset about injustice. Something is wrong with this picture. I began to think about more than the optics of the display, as seen on the news regularly these days. Now high school players are beginning to imitate these men.
First, at what point in time will these guys decide to finally stand up or take a seat? How long does this showmanship go on? Till no one watches their games and the money they were once earning dries up? What is the desired end result? What is it they want? Do we even know? Do they? Or is this just showing off, publicity stunts for publicity’s sake? Well, that is no good and no help to anyone.
Let me share what I know about black children in my community, just one small town of 65,000 in this great big country. Their education in the public school system is very poor. They can barely read in the 5th grade and just forget about math or science or history. The teachers often seem to have been raised in the same education system and “teach to the test.” I have known of failing students being given answers to pass tests, helping to ensure the teacher’s job security. (Remember the big scandal in Georgia just a few years ago?) One third of these children never graduate from high school. But here is the clincher: When asking a black child what they want to be when they are grown, the answer, in my experience, is 99% of the time, one of these: a football player, a basketball player, a singer like Beyonce. Earlier this month, I watched a news story wherein a black gentleman who owns a barbershop in Ypsilanti, Michigan is encouraging his young clientele by giving them a $2 discount if they read aloud while they wait for a haircut. What struck me, and moved me to write this, was the answer given by a child when asked what he would like to be one day: a football player. Those are the stars they see and wish upon.
There is no hope in these children’s eyes, only want. They see the lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and it looks easy and it’s what they want. With a less than an adequate education, and without spectacular talent, the chances of making ‘professional’ anything slim and none, exactly what do these children have in their future? There lurks poverty, crime, drugs and alcohol, housing developments, and a continuing saga. Government benevolence only keeps people dependent. Very, very few have two parent households (only about 25%). The majority of the children I saw (in the system) are raised by young single women (white and black) many of whom themselves have problems and are part of the “Me First” generation; they have given up and suffer depression and drug abuse. Men come in and out of their lives and homes and are hardly the loving father figures the kids so desperately need. Consequently these black youngsters are hurting and that hurt comes out as anger and rage – turned inward, against themselves or outward, against others. We are seeing it now and it will continue to get worse. But, maybe, just maybe there is another option in this scenario.
What if these wealthy ballplayers and other like-minded protestors, would use their platforms, to reach back and begin to work to help pull these kids up, out of despair and dependency? The possibilities are endless. Start charter schools in their names in every inner city and make them tuition free. Begin programs for upstanding men to mentor and be father figures and role models to these boys. Fund childcare programs so single mothers can attend night school, get their diplomas and study to earn a better living. Put “Junior Achievement” type programs back into cities and then visit and support them on a regular basis. Encourage kids to reach for the stars by learning to read and expand their horizons by promoting and underwriting science projects and math studies where children might learn and see there is more to life than their bleak world. Reward education! It is the only answer, along with faith in something bigger than oneself. Do Something MORE than ‘taking a knee.’ The government cannot do it, as it has proved time and time again. It cannot because it has no heart or soul.
Colin and all of you wealthy protestors — Stand Up, Be a Real Man and Give Back. The next time you take to your knees, pray and be thankful for your many blessings. Show you care about more than yourself… because frankly, in my opinion, that’s all it looks like to me.