Ever since one poor, unfortunate soul said white people can't say the n-word, people have been throwing around the 'freedom of speech' and 'racism' card like nobody's business. But, if we want to talk about freedom of speech, racism, and a word that starts with the letter 'n', we need to start talking about the fact that the NFL banned kneeling during the national anthem this past Wednesday.

Protesting during a football game seemed like a genius idea, because you had people who called themselves die-hard fans of players and now they would be introduced to a more personal side. After all, black and brown players are still affected by the injustices against black and brown civilians. But the fact that people were so against the movement made it clear: the goal was not to have solidarity between the player and the fan, but it was more so an entertainer and the entertained relationship.

Players could not look left, and they could not look right. They sure as hell couldn't protest. Not unless the consumers allowed you to, which is a very binding and controlling concept given the fact that football players aren't electronic devices that are tailored to abide by every human wish. And yet the NFL and its consumers treat them as such.

At first, however, the NFL itself said that kneeling was a right that they cannot deny Kaepernick. The NFL has now revoked that right. In conjunction with a tweet by Prentice Penny,

Just to be clear, the @NFL owners (32 white men) legally made a rule to suppress a player’s (a league that’s 70% Black) civil right? We’re all okay with this?
— Prentice Penny (@The_A_Prentice) May">https://twitter.com/The_A_Prentice/status/99937477... 23, 2018

it's impossible not to see how backwards it seems we are walking. White NFL owners made a decision which diminished the freedom of speech of a 70% black league in the name of entertainment. Black and brown football players must protest out-of-sight and out-of-mind because it upsets the viewers. But no one stops to ask the football players how much it upsets them when they see another injustice done against another black body.

In response to the NFL's move, Pence tweeted:

Today’s decision by the @NFL is a win for the fans, a win for @POTUS, and a win for America. Americans can once again come together around what unites us – our flag, our military, and our National Anthem. Thank you NFL. #ProudToStand pic.twitter.com/zNwxhYGNaN
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May">https://twitter.com/VP/status/999411045730013184?r... 23, 2018

"Today's decision by the NFL is a win for the fans, a win for the POTUS, and a win for America" which is all fine and good, but nowhere do I see that this is a win for the players. Rather at the expense of the players, the fans are still entertained, Trump can claim this is a victory, and America will continue to ignore the harsh reality of minority lives.

So then I'll ask you: when you call yourself a fan, are you a fan of the person in the helmet, or are you a fan of the spectacle made out of their bodies?