A video entitled “Sit-Down Colin Kaepernick,” featuring a rant by The Blaze’s host Tomi Lahren recently went viral. It addressed the 49er's quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to remain seated during the game day tradition of standing to sing the National Anthem.
Here is the video for reference:
As it was one of the more ignorant things I had seen on my feed in a while, I felt compelled to refute some of the misguided and racist comments that Lahren shared thanks to her First Amendment right.
1. “The American Flag is not a symbol of ‘white America’ or ‘black America.’”
Tomi says, “Patriots of every color and race have fought and died for this country, and we honor the flag and sing the anthem as a reminder.” I ask you, what are they really fighting to preserve? A country in which black people were enslaved, consider less than a full person, and where the implications of this reality are still faced today? A country in which the police systematically target minorities, where centuries of oppressive legislation has positioned them to be some of the most poverty-stricken communities in the nation?
You and I, Tomi, are incredibly lucky in that this is not the America we experience, that this is not what the flag represents to us. However, it is absolutely necessary that white folk like ourselves acknowledge that this is not a privilege people of color have, that skin color drastically impacts how they move through the world in ways we cannot comprehend. The flag does not represent ‘white’ or ‘black’ America, it represents a nation that belongs to people of every race, and thus, our collective experiences, beautiful and ugly.
2. “Colin if this country disgusts you so much – leave.”
Tomi raises the point that America is the land of opportunity, where one can start from nothing and make a name from themselves thanks to capitalism, and if Colin cannot appreciate his privilege in having access to these opportunities, he should step aside and let someone else take them. However, if America is the land of equal opportunity for all people, why has there only been one black president thus far? Why have only fifteen black executives ever been listed as a CEO for a Fortune 500 company? Why are African Americans incarcerated at almost six times the rate of white people?
When Tomi uses Barack Obama's presidential position as an example of social equality, she is wrong. Obama is an anomaly, he is a strong symbol of progress but not of systematic change. There is a difference.
3. “Don’t sit there and blame white people for the problems of minority communities – aren’t you half white?”
This point in her argument was particularly ignorant in that Tomi implied that Kaepernick should be grateful for what white people do for him, as white people are his viewers, his parents, his coaches, his employers, and that he isn’t oppressed due to the fact he is half-white. To begin with, it is problematic in itself that all of his wealth and fame can be attributed to the wealth of white people; it is indicative of my previous point that minorities lack access to the same opportunities as white folk. Furthermore, the fact that he is of mixed race does not make him any less ‘qualified’ to stand, or rather, sit, in solidarity with people of color. As a white person, Tomi is in no way privy to his experiences as non-white person. She cannot claim that he is any more or less of a victim of racial injustices.
4. “When will black communities step back and take responsibility for the problems in their communities?”
When will black communities take responsibility for the fact that they are subjugated to both institutionalized racism and deep rooted prejudice in their daily lives? Great question, Tomi! They should really get on that shouldn’t they?
I write this to say that I support and respect Colin Kaepernick in his decision to remain seated during the National Anthem. He used his celebrity to draw attention to ever important issues of racial injustice, and did so in a peaceful manner. I see this as an admirable precedent to set.
