To Donald Trump, the violent white supremacists who descended upon Charlottesville — tiki torches in hand — are “very fine people.” It took Trump days to condemn white nationalists and neo-Nazis and, when he did, he hedged his condemnation.
To Donald Trump, Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem at an NFL game to peacefully protest police brutality is a “son of a b—-.” This weekend, Donald Trump tweeted no fewer than ten times about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.
In this moment, we can’t allow Donald Trump to divide us. This isn’t about partisanship or politics, it’s about the reality of being black and brown in America and having a president who only believes in free speech for some Americans instead of defending us all. If you believe that a national dialogue about racial justice and inequality can no longer wait, #TakeAKnee with me today.
The American flag represents the liberty for us to be a complex, nuanced nation, where our citizens can hold and share opinions freely without persecution. Our flag stands for freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right of the people to peaceably assemble.
Countless Americans have died to defend the inalienable rights represented by our flag.
Colin Kaepernick is using his celebrity to bring much-needed attention to the inequities that still exist in our society, as well as remind us that freedom of speech is a privilege extended to all Americans. Taking a knee reminds us of the violence and terror that black and brown communities are subjected to in this country. Black men and women are arrested, incarcerated and killed at much higher rates than white Americans. His kneeling is a reminder that we cannot look away. We must engage in a dialogue.
It’s time for us to get back to common sense in this country. It’s time for us to build a multiracial coalition that we need to end racial profiling and inequality in our society.
If you believe that we need to start addressing race in America, add your name and take a knee with us today.
These are times when it is possible to come together and push our country back into the light that is justice, that is liberty for all.
