Applying Simple Laws of Physics to Colin Kaepernick’s Anthem Protest

“To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction”

Isaac Newton

Colin KSir Isaac Newton probably didn’t have Colin Kaepernick in mind when he discovered his third law of physics but damn if he wasn’t right on the money.  For if anything, the 49ers quarterback’s actions have generated one shit storm of an opposed reaction.

Far too many people have demanded to hear my take on Colin Kaepernick… so allow me to get all scientific for this one.

When business owners implement a new policy in the workplace, they do so to achieve a desired result.  Their plan will either succeed or fail based on the effectiveness of this new policy.  Similarly, when a man approaches a woman in a bar, he does so with specific intent.  How he goes about his business will determine whether or not he achieves the desired result, either a trip to her bedroom or a cocktail thrown in his face.

That’s ultimately the test of anything, isn’t it?  Did your actions achieve the desired reaction?

Colin Kaepernick’s recent refusal to stand during the national anthem got reaction, alright.  His manner of doing so ruffled America’s feathers, from fans and fellow footballers to policemen and presidential candidates.  Kap’s fifteen minutes of fame are in full effect.

As my good friend, J-Dub, accurately points out, Kap’s sit-down tore us into two camps, those who respect his right to take such a stand and those who think he’s a jerkoff for doing so.

Let’s just say I see and respect both sides of the argument but believe there’s a far more important question that should be asked, thanks to my pal, Isaac Newton.

What good, if any, came from all this?  And if no good comes from all this, perhaps we are all equally to blame.

We blast athletes for not taking a stand and when they do, in whichever form they ultimately choose, we criticize them for doing so.  People felt it was out of place for Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Paul to speak out at the ESPYs and when Michael Jordan recently spoke out against violence in this country, we criticized him for not doing so sooner.

We are rarely satisfied.

John Carlos Tommie SmithWe have a tendency to look at things with our revisionist history knobs turned to eleven.  We laud former athletes like John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell as cultural heroes for taking a stand in a far more troublesome and oppressive time.  All other efforts pale in comparison.

This isn’t Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus.  This isn’t four gentlemen staging a sit-in at a Woolworth lunch counter.  Nor is this Marvin Gaye writing “What’s Going On.”  This is a guy that yesterday nobody gave a shit about refusing to stand for our national anthem and promoting a cause we can only assume he believes in.

Please allow me to set aside the theory that Kap’s display was self-serving.  For the sake of this argument, it’s irrelevant.

It’s not a matter of whether Kap is right or wrong which is what a lot of the current and rather destructive dialogue is focused on.  He is allowed to do what he’s doing as long as he understands that he lives in a country that allows us to call him a putz for doing so.  Donald Trump and I don’t agree on much but when asked about the matter, Trump retorted that Kap “should find a country that works better for him.”  The only problem is there’s no other country willing to pay him $114 million a year to be a shitty quarterback.

No, instead we are all in an uproar about one guy who in the grand scheme of things is irrelevant unless… his actions generate constructive dialogue, which of course, won’t happen.  After all, this is America, home of saturated fat, Splenda and reality TV.

So who is really more at fault in this situation and where do we go from here?  I commend Americans for being offended but now what?  Are we going to continue to bicker about this or shall we allow for his actions to open healthy dialogue?  Fuck giving him credit for it when we’re the ones doing all the work.  Are we too busy bitching about him to realize that his actions don’t matter unless they promoted positive change?

Personally, I don’t give a shit.  He did what he did and I have far more important things to worry about.  We all do.

It matters not if his intent was genuine.  It matters far more how we proceed.  To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The answer in my eyes is pretty simple.  Just stop hating each other and everything will work itself out.  We all know the difference between right and wrong.  It’s about time we started acting like it.

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16 Replies to “Applying Simple Laws of Physics to Colin Kaepernick’s Anthem Protest”

  1. It’s ironic that seems to be ruffling feathers with general managers showing their disdain for Colin Kaepernick . Yet are these not the very same general managers who stood idly by while players who they are paying millions of dollars to , have been abusing women, raping women and abusing young children. Talk about hypocritical bull$hit or what !

    Only in the NFL, can you find this type of hypocrisy, while the fans themselves remain damn well ambivalent . The likes of Drew Brees , Jerry Rice , Jim Harbaugh , Tony Stewart (NASCAR driver) and Donald Trump are self-absorbed @ssholes who clearly aren’t cognizant of what’s happening within their midst.

    If a Native American Indian were to start protesting as to their continued mistreatment would anyone take any notice ? I mean they’re doing so now concerning the pollution of their lands and a proposed oil pipeline , but it would appear the media in general doesn’t feel it to be all that important. Not much of a surprise when you consider the mindset of the country at present.

  2. Chris….you make excellent points. I would have had some respect for him if he had put a significant portion of his time and $114 million towards helping solve the problem in a constructive, community building, way. Instead he took the lazy way out by sitting on his brains during the national anthem and complaining, oh, excuse me “making a statement”. Join a service organization and give time and money to your community, work with city and state officials, schools and educators (that is the missed opportunity)……but to act out on the job…….imagine what most employers would do. Eventually he will realize that the QB position is not his job, but that of his employer and he can or will be easily replaced.

  3. That a football player didn’t stand for the National Anthem isn’t really the point for me. There was a time, not that long ago, when players of color weren’t allowed on the same field with white athletes.

    He claims he’ll continue to sit until he sees change. Maybe he’d like to go back to those times when blacks couldn’t compete with whites, didn’t have the right to vote. Maybe he’d like to give up his salary and live in a country where blacks are more oppressed than they are here. Maybe he’d rather have been born a Native American, who truly are more oppressed than all other minorities.

    Here we have this bozo who is hypocritical in taking $19m a year for tossing a pigskin around a gridiron. How much money does he contribute to minorities? Does he spend time with minorities during the off-season, speak before youth groups?

    He has a lot of means to make a big difference in the lives of minorities, and he sits on his ass? I call that passive aggressive behavior.

    None of us, really, are free and equal, are we? Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Most of us, White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, are slaves to our jobs. And the bottom 90% are certainly not equal to the top 10% wealthiest Americans.

    This is not a perfect world, nor is America a perfect country. Yes, racism is still with us. So is oppression of women. Still, Blacks have it far better than they did a century or two ago. They certainly have it far better in this country than in other countries.

    Black Lives Matters protests against law enforcement every time an African American is shot by a policeman, but are mute about the thousands of black on black murders committed every year. White protesters weren’t welcome to join BLM protests, so how does that lessen tension between races?

    How does not standing for the National Anthem do anything to change anything?

  4. Especially if he’s not performing, Rosco.

    Talk about buyer’s remorse. It wasn’t all that long ago that San Fran signed him to that six year deal worth well over $100 mil. Ouch!

    One reader reminded me of the work of Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn who both work tirelessly for their local charities which bear their name.

    I think we need to hear more about what Colin’s doing in that regard before any of us can respect him for his acts of protest.

  5. Look at JCG going all Janis Joplin on us. Don’t think that went unnoticed.

    Exactly, if Kaepernick had a little more of a track record of “doing the right thing,” maybe there wouldn’t be such an uproar about him doing the wrong thing.

    I heard this on the radio the other day. Opening Sunday for the NFL falls on 9/11. I’m guessing some time between now and then, Kaepernick will find it within himself to stand for the national anthem on that day before fans start throwing shit from the stands.

  6. Oh, I’m sure it didn’t go unnoticed, Chris!

    Concerning Opening Sunday on 9/11: I’d take that bet. I don’t think he’ll stand. That would mean admitting he was wrong.

  7. I totally agree with the action…and then reaction. That’s factual. Kaepernick had a right to do as he pleases….and I HAVE A RIGHT to respond. I say he’s an asshole. I’m sure everyone knows (agreeing or disagreeing with my stance) as to why I think he’s a hole, so I will spare listing the reasons. As far as stopping the hate…..lets also remind ourselves who the REAL haters are in certain situations when the “reaction” takes place. He hates the American flag….I dont hate him. Our Constitution made a critical mistake in adopting and bringing over slavery from England. THAT same Constitution FORCED us to look at the evil institution of slavery. We did. We ended it. Why?…..Because not only was it wrong but because OUR CONSTITUTION said it was wrong. So now what?…..because of that bad part of our history, we are flip everything upside down including everything that is good?….including the flag? The men….including white and black that died to end slavery. The men that died to end genocide against the Jews from a mad man. All Im saying is…..let the real haters be identified….it isnt me.

  8. edit….my first sentence. I don’t agree with Kaepernick’s action. I was agreeing with you about there is always a reaction to an action.

  9. Dub…

    That’s French for kick-ass, right?

    I thought so.

    And by Kap taking one knee, are we to assume that’s progress?

    I wonder if he gets stopped at airports.

  10. Thanks for chiming in, David.

    One of these days, hopefully soon, we’ll get to talking about football and not the silly shit that surrounds it.

    I guess my main gist with the piece is that, if his actions generate constructive dialogue, even on a humble site like this, then okay.

    Was his intent to promote such dialogue? I don’t know. Did he ever say that. One thing he has said thought is that he a serious beef with the police.

    Hope the guy doesn’t place a call to 911 any time soon. Not too sure how many responders will arrive on the scene.

  11. Nothing wrong with it, no, admitting when one is wrong. But none of us likes to do it. It’s a humility thing. And when your ego is as huge as your salary and fan base, it becomes even more difficult.

  12. No worries about sitting or standing on 9/11 for Kap. They don’t play until Monday 9/12.

    I havea soft spot in my wallet for CKap. He covered a wager for me as a backup versus Fresno while riding the bench at UNR. Seriously though, he committed all his profits from off the chart jersey sales to some inner city project. Rumors of some additional donations also.

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