Something Worthy, Something Impactful, Something Real

C. Kaepernick and kids at his camp, May, 2017

At the outset of the uproar about NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, and his "knee" stand for what he believes in - I saw so many other issues that were far more important. In my mind, the more important question was,  'What are we doing for our under-served children in the communities where we live?' Boycotting the NFL because of a multimillionaire and his employment status - to me - was not at the top of the list. Brotha Kaepernick will be all right, was my thought.

Please don't misunderstand me - I got why he did what he did.  I support his right to do it. There is the "big picture" for which he took the knee. But this was where I believed the boycotting of the NFL is only a part of the push for the solution.

Then lo and behold, I read an article published online, August 19, 2017 in Sporting News, by Nick Birdsong. It caught my attention because the report was about African American, Seventh-day Adventist Pastors in the Huntsville, Alabama area. I was raised Adventist, and went to college in Huntsville - I know some of the ministers. I was curious to learn what they had to say about the Kaepernick situation.

Birdsong wrote:

Thursday, a group of nearly 10 black pastors and Oakwood University President, Leslie Pollard, announced an "NFL Blackout", a boycot, or "mancot" as they referred to it, of the league. Until Kaepernick, who kneeled during the national anthem throughout 2016 as a member of the 49ers, is signed, the men are encouraging other leaders to refrain from watching NFL games, purchasing NFL-licensed paraphernalia and participating in fantasy football. 

"I want to be clear. I'm a football fan. I played it most of my life, growing up and there's rarely a Sunday that I've missed in my adult years," said Deblaire Snell, senior pastor of First Seventh Day Adventist Church. "But there comes a point in time where I've got to prioritize my convictions more than my entertainment value." 

Instead, these men will devote themselves to community service, dedicating one to two hours on Sundays for the next 17 weeks to "pouring into" African-American boys and girls, something they'll do even if Kaepernick gets picked up, and prayer for their community and government officials. 

It was that last paragraph that moved me: Instead, these men will devote themselves to community service, dedicating one to two hours on Sundays for the next 17 weeks to 'pouring into' African-American boys and girls...

If we as individuals - not just African Americans - but as members of the Human Race, would self-assess and look at our priorities, we could get so much done for the betterment of our society. After doing my research on Colin Kaepernick, I found out he's also been putting his money and his means where his knee is. At his Know Your Rights Camp  in Chicago, Illinois, Kaepernick empowers brown and black children by providing them with information and tools to become the change agents in and for their communities. 

I'm here for all of it. And that, my friends, is the big picture.