Summer is coming to an end so that means a new edition of EA Sport's football game Madden was release. Madden 19, names after former NFL player John Madden, has many anticipating to play this game due to it will have new graphics, player rosters and there is a new soundtrack for the game. When one player played the game, he noticed that on a particular song the lyrics were blurred out. He decided to share this to Twitter and the part which is known as "Black Twitter" was not feeling it.
Big Sean spits a verse that mentions the former 49er's quarterback Colin Kapernick on YG's Big Bank. Soon after the news of the censored line made its way through the Twitterverse, verified accounts of Big Sean & Colin sent out tweets sharing their thoughts about the situation. Big Sean was pissed (as he should be) about the game creators deciding to censor his line. Shortly after EA Sports, issued an apology to not only Colin but to 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj & YG. This probably would have eventually fell out of the news cycle since the bad guy apologized, but you have to ask yourself why would a game based off of the actual players of the NFL mute the name Colin Kapernick? As the National anthem played during one of the preseason games in 2016 Colin decided that opposed to standing likes the rest of his teammates, he will kneel. When asked about why he knelt said "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag or for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." He was referring to the non-indicted police officers that have been able to get away with murder even in instances where the crime is being committed. Colin decided to be bigger than some number running up and down the field. He used his platform to bring awareness to a serious problem. The NFL has made infomercials about other important issues like domestic violence and the importance of volunteer work but when it comes to the killing of black people by law enforcement officials, they turn the other way. After Kap kneeled more players, coaches and even some owners came onto the field to protest. This enraged NFL fans, NFL owners & the current president of the United States. (Side note: Why is it called the UNITED states when we are heavily divided?) Forty-five decided one day to have a rally of his hillbillies, I mean his supporters, and use it to counter protest the NFL players that have taken a knee while the Anthem plays. He said to his people, you know those that don't like African American and Latinos, that if the players don't want to stand for the anthem (which gets really racist as hell in verse two) "then get the son of a bitch off of the field." Yes, the forty fifth president of this land referred to men who play a sport that could possibly kill them as "son of bitches." There is a city in Michigan that hasn't had clean water since 2014, but yet he wants to use his time to discuss things like sports. The protests also began to get the attention of the NFL & the owners of the teams. Some of these men come from a time when Black men were called niggERs and they did as they were told. Those who were upset didn't seem to understand what the protests were about and some down right didn't care. They felt like that Kapernick should have been happy he was able to play. The haters didn't take their time to figure out if there can be a solution to the problem. The protests were costing the NFL money & the NFL wanted for them to stop. As a powerful conglomerate that is the NFL how do you get one player to stop kneeling because it is taking away from your revenue and bringing attention to the problem of opposed people??? You make sure he doesn't get picked up by ANY team once the season is over. That my friend, is called Black balling. By definition, black balking is to reject (someone, usually a candidate applying to become a member of a private club), typically by means of a secret ballot. There were a group of men that decided to do that to him and since then they have decided that players are required to stand if they are on the field during the national anthem plays but gives them the option to remain in the locker room if they prefer. I strongly disagree with this ruling and due to this rule I will probably opt out on watching the NFL games this season. Men like Kapernick should not be censored nor should they be made to stand when their hearts tell them to kneel. This situation opened the eyes to a lot of people who were blind to the injustices of how the NFL picks and chooses whose rights to fight for. Life after the NFL hasn't been so bad for Kapernick & I believe the work that he is doing now will be appreciated way more than his stats. In 2017, he was name GQ's Citizen of the Year & then in 2018 he made the final $10,000 donation to his million dollar pledge. He pledged that he would raise money to give to organizations that worked in oppressed communities. His organization Know Your Rights recently received $80,000 due to the Van Lathan challenging his friends to dontate the money that they would have spent on the game to Kapernick's campaign. As more people begun to get wind of this campaign, more people started to donate. I love watching our community support those who others have shut out. I feel that if we begin to become more supportive of each other that we can do to come up with solutions for our problems. Colin Kapernick is not a curse word and it should never be treated as one. He is a paradigm of what standing up for what you feel is right. He took a chance when nobody else did and stood up while others looked away. Colin is a role model and should have been able to play in the NFL. Unfortunately, we live in a world that gives a slap on the wrist to those who have done wrong but tries to ruin those who are doing what is right. Colin Kapernick will not be remembered for being a football player but for the work that he has done and in the community. To me that's better than million dollar deals, probably ending up with CTE & working for an organization that rather oppress then support and that's no cap. Click the link so that you to can donate to Know Your Rights. https://knowyourrightscamp.com/