Trump to Colin Kaepernick “find a country that works better for you”
While I commend Mr. Kaepernick for adding himself to the list of modern social activists who, like Mohammed Ali (f/k/a Casseus Clay) have used highly public forums to make a statement about past and present systemic racism, I along with many Americans will disagree with his approach based on a few reasons that are clearly stated below. Reasonable minds can agree on the fact that the future will probably be kinder to him, but as of now, many Americans, particularly White Americans will not like his lack of “allegiance” for the country whose citizenship he holds, and the country that gives him a chance to earn a living and become the person that he has become today.
Sometimes, the hand that is feeding us may be a bit dirty, wrinkly, calloused, and even old, but we still should not bite that hand because we should not only be grateful for it, but also, we need this very hand to take care of ourselves, unless we decide to rely on a different set of hands that may work out better for us.
In the case of Mr. Kaepernick, Mr. Trump is simply saying that perhaps America is not the best country for him, and in that case he should consider finding one that would out better for himself. Throughout my three decades of living in the States, I have often felt like Mr. Kaepernick did, and perhaps have stood my ground sometimes as well. But, as I matured in age and wisdom, I realized that two wrongs almost never make a right. Yes, we do have rights that can be exercised in specific forums and for specific reasons. For instance, the amazing and late Rosa Parks made a specific statement when she refused to leave her seat for a White person. Her action related to the inference that she was an American human being who had equal right to sit on that very chair as any White American did. Her action related to a forum and sent a message that she was not trying to disrespect anyone, but rather was trying to assert her own human right to life and liberty, and that of any other human being. The means did justify the ends.
Do the Means Justify the Ends in Mr. Kaepernick’s Case?
A country is not a person, but like a person it is governed by certain local, national and international rules of conduct, ethics or decency. For instance, a home is not a person, but like a person it is governed by some rules. If a wife cooks for the husband, and the husbands decides not to eat the food, such a husband would be hurting both himself and the wife or family because not only will she feel unappreciated (no matter what the reason is for him not eating hear meal), but also, he will go without nutrition and may become ill to the whole family’s detriment. My point is, if we’re in America, we’re all on the same boat, and any problem is an American problem, but disrespecting America is like disrespecting the “food” or the “hand”, which are mainly tools that can help make us all better. Nothing unifies a country more than its people’s allegiance to its ideals; in the case of America, it is “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Usually the means justify the ends if they will make life better for some or all of us.
Do we all of a sudden think of solving systemic racism with Kaepernick refusing to show allegiance to the flag of the country, which made him who he is? Does America’s conscience get shocked like it did with Rosa Parks, who shed light on how racist America was with the simple act of allowing a human being to sit on a chair, because with that, the means did justify the ends?
While I understand Mr. Kaepernick’s anger and resentment, and his right to free speech, as my mother would have told him: “it is not always useful to do all that we are allowed to do… and there is a time and place for everything.”
Blacks and other minorities need to continue fight to enter the boardrooms and should socialize and assimilate more with White Americans and vice versa. We cannot start by stating things that create more discord, rather we should start by asserting either basic human rights, or what makes us the same, and asserting why we need to co-exist respectfully. But until then, WE ALL NEED TO SHOW ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG because the fact is, like so many human-beings, many of us would prefer to live here more than anywhere else.
This is why so many immigrants bet on everything that they own and risk their lives to come here. America is not a perfect country, but it sure is still a land of ample opportunities to which we all should be proud. We have a long way to go, it has to get better on trades and immigration, but compared to other countries, this land is still one of the best ever. Both Blacks, Whites and other groups have a lot to be proud about when it comes to America no matter what any of the shortcomings might have been. We must show allegiance to the flag and to the republic for which it stands. PERIOD!
As my pastor said this past Sunday. MORALITY can't be legislated or forced onto people. Rather, it has to be taught, encouraged, and practiced.
Dr. Pete Lorins is the Editor-in-Chief of LorinsPost.com. This article was sponsored by RapidGigsPlus.com