Some people are legitimately concerned about social inequality and the daily injustices that many 'minorities' in America see on a daily basis. Not Colin Kaepernick.
Although he says he is, actions speak louder than words. And in all honesty, Colin Kaepernick's actions kinda suck. There were recent NFL odds that Kap would find a job with an NFL team by the end of the 2019 season at -500 – that implies an 83.3 percent chance. Pretty good, right?
Well, now I'm not so sure … here's why.
If You Want a Job, Show Up to Your Interview
I mean, this part isn't rocket science. Colin Kaepernick has been spouting for years that he just wants to play football. He just wants his fair shot at a job. He's talented enough and even has the experience – which is fair enough– but that he's getting blackballed. The league is shunning him.
Well, you organized a workout and multiple representatives from 25 NFL teams came to watch your showcase … and with 30 minutes left on the clock from when you were supposed to start your 'interview,' you call the NFL people and tell them that you are not going to be there. Instead, you have moved the interview site 51 miles away to a high school football field. Ok. That's just the thing to do if you absolutely don't want anyone to hire you. These are literally your prospective employers and you are wasting their time.
Imagine if you had a job interview for a Fortune 500 company, called them 30 minutes before you are supposed to be there and tell them that they have to come to you at a different location … then talk s*&% about them after. Guess what, there are hundreds of other people waiting in line for that job and they are going to immediately dismiss you and look at the people who are actually serious about working for them.
Also, with this particular situation, Kaepernick moved the workout to a public school and there were already dozens up dozens of supporters along with film crews. This doesn't happen in thirty minutes; it was planned. So now, all of these potential employers know immediately that not only did you waste their time, it was intentional and premeditated.
Don't Wear A Kunta Kinte Shirt to a Job Interview
Maybe the future of Colin Kaepernick in the NFL is not as bright as the betting odds initially thought. So, after eight of the twenty-five teams that initially showed up to his workout showcase, drove fifty-plus miles to see him, he railed against the team owners and Roger Goodale about them running away from him and not giving him a job whilst wearing a Kunta Kinte shirt.
Ok, I get the point you are making but if you actually wanted a job, you wouldn't be actively equating yourself to a slave to the man during what is effectively a freaking job interview that you were already late for! So, the people that do go out of their way to show up to the second location now feel even more disrespected.
Granted, maybe some of these people deserve it, I don't know. But then it's not about getting a job, is it? It's about creating a public spectacle where you can rub their nose in it.
Players who feel like the country doesn't stand up for them should have the right to kneel and not stand during the national anthem. But come on Kap … don't lie to us. You don't want a job, you want to ruffle feathers … and that's OK. Just don't lie to us, and don't undermine the sentiment behind something that actually still means something to many – kneeling to bring awareness to the unarmed murder of young black men by the police– by turning it into a sideshow.
This kind of behavior makes it easy for those who disagree to argue that you don't actually care and are just playing the martyr. In essence, you're arming your enemies with bullets to shoot holes in your cause.