Kaepernick calls 4th of July a 'celebration of white supremacy', rejects it as US 'dehumanized' Black people
Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick slammed Independence Day and called it a 'celebration of White supremacy'. He also called out America for 'centuries' of abuse against Black people. Kaepernick took to Twitter to talk about the rejection and also shared a video of the actor James Earl Jones reciting Frederick Douglass's speech, 'What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?'
Douglass had been a prolific abolitionist who had frequently called out the hypocrisy of the Founding Fathers while praising their ideals of freedom. Douglass had made the speech the day after the 4th of July in 1852. The video featured many shocking visuals that have included pictures of slave auctions, KKK members, lynching, videos of officers beating up Black inmates and racist caricature drawings.
Kaepernick's tweet read, "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," the tweet continued. Many social media users were not in agreement with his post and commented on the same.
One such user shared, "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."
Another user commented, "My ancestors were slaves and treated worse than black slaves because they were smaller and less muscular. But the Irish didn't hang onto all that, we built ourselves up with grit and are GRATEFUL to live in America! Get over it!"
"I’m a black combat veteran. I celebrate the 4th. We have millions of Black Men & Women that are real-life hero’s that “I” myself am very proud of and thankful for their sacrifices so that I can continue the legacy of freedom. I am an American because of them!" wrote yet another.
Kaepernick's tweet follows the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. There have been nationwide protests and outrage against systematic racism and police brutality in the United States.
Back in 2016, Kaepernick was seen kneeling while the US national anthem was played before a game as a protest against racial injustice, police brutality and systemic oppression in the country in 2016. Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since 2016. Since leaving NFL, Kaepernick has been involved in many social activism organizations and he also founded the 'Know Your Rights Camp', which aims to teach young children about self-empowerment, American history and legal rights.
We had previously reported that basketball legend LeBron James believes that the NFL needs to directly and formally apologize to Colin Kaepernick as they did not stand by him and his stance against racial inequality and police brutality.
While speaking in an interview, James said, "As far as the NFL, I'm not in those locker rooms. I'm not with those guys. But I do understand that an apology, I have not heard a true, official apology to Colin Kaepernick on what he was going through and what he was trying to tell the NFL and tell the world about why he was kneeling when he was doing that as a San Francisco 49er so, I just see that to still be wrong."
"And now they are listening some, but I still think we have not heard that official apology to a man who, basically, sacrificed everything to better this world," James added.
