Former National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick took to Twitter to air his grievances with America's Independence Day. According to the former NFL star, the 4th of July is nothing but a "celebration of white supremacy."
The video that accompanied Kaepernick's tweet included photos of slaves in the field as well as videos of white police officers punching and tasering African Americans.
Black ppl have been dehumanized, brutalized, criminalized + terrorized by America for centuries, & are expected to join your commemoration of “independence”, while you enslaved our ancestors. We reject your celebration of white supremacy & look forward to liberation for all. ??? pic.twitter.com/YCD2SYlgv4
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) July 4, 2020
Instead of seeing Independence Day as a day to celebrate all of the great things in our country, the washed-up football player decided to make this day about racism and injustice. Slightly ironic considering he was adopted by a white couple when he was a baby.
There were a few people who took issue with what Kaepernick said, but for various reasons.
I celebrate the 4th as a black American because I'm thankful to live here and I celebrate Juneteenth too. There's nothing wrong with celebrating the fact that we're not under British control.
— Joe "You Ain't Black" Biden (@Mr_Chuckie16) July 4, 2020
“We,” he says. “We” reject “your” celebration. As though he speaks for the millions of black Americans who, instead of rejecting this country, embrace and demand fulfillment of its founding promises.
— Will Saletan (@saletan) July 5, 2020
This post is pushing people apart more than it’s pushing people together. Just my two cents. Thankful for those who died for my freedom and yours.
— The Rcaldy (@rcaldy1908) July 4, 2020
Curious.
— I don't know you, either (@Idontknowyouei1) July 4, 2020
I live in a neighborhood the census says is 73% black. Lots of families living well and thriving. Today, we're all cooking out, playing music, and enjoying life.
I guess they didn't get the memo they were supposed to be oppressed.
Why does every holiday have to be considered oppressive or wrong? Why does there have to be a constant divide in our country, a divide that is pushed by elites like Kaepernick? We live in the greatest nation in the world, with so many possibilities. The 4th of July is about celebrating all of the things that make the United States great, like having the ability to speak your mind (the very freedom Kaepernick loves to utilize) and the opportunity to build a better life. It's about celebrating our Founding Fathers for creating a pretty damn great country with a Constitution that protects us.
Do we have our flaws? Absolutely. Can we improve our society? Always. Does our history need to be trashed? No way. It is possible to come together to celebrate everything great about our country. That doesn't mean that we dismiss parts of our history that have blemishes. It means we learn from those mistakes, talk about them so we never repeat them, and then move forward, not as whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians or any other race. We move forward as Americans.