New York Police Officers Rally in Support of Colin Kaepernick

[GMDino]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/sports/football/colin-kaepernick-nypd-rally.html

Quote:Dozens of current and retired officers from the New York Police Department rallied on Saturday morning in support of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers player lionized and reviled for refusing to stand during the national anthem.


The gathering in Brooklyn Bridge Park was organized by Sgt. Edwin Raymond and attended by about 80 officers who wore black T-shirts emblazoned with “#IMWITHKAP.” Frank Serpico, a former officer who exposed corruption in the New York Police Department in the 1970s, attended.

Speakers, including City Councilman Jumaane D. Williams, Democrat of Brooklyn, linked the backlash against Kaepernick’s gesture — no team has signed the quarterback for this season — to the violence last weekend during a white nationalist march in Charlottesville, Va., and more generally to issues of police accountability.

Kaepernick, 29, stopped standing for the anthem last season, saying he was protesting violence against minorities, particularly by the police.
“As members of law enforcement, we can confirm that the issues he is saying exist in policing, and throughout the criminal justice system, indeed exist,” Sergeant Raymond said of Kaepernick. In 2015, he joined 11 other officers in filing a class-action lawsuit against the Police Department for policing practices they said discriminated against minority communities.


The rally coincided with a wave of mostly peaceful demonstrations in Boston and other cities on Saturday, in which protesters addressed white supremacy, Confederate statues and free speech.
Photo

Sergeant Raymond said in an interview later on Saturday that he had been planning the rally before the clashes in Charlottesville. But the violence made especially clear the need to address racism in the United States, he said. That the rally was being held by police officers would send a loud message, Sergeant Raymond said, because a frequent criticism of Kaepernick has been that his protest was an affront to law enforcement.



“They said he disrespected law enforcement,” Sergeant Raymond said. “Well, I’m law enforcement, and he didn’t disrespect me.”


At the rally, Williams praised the officers for risking their lives to protect the public. He drew ire last year when he refused to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance during City Council meetings.


“People use the terms ‘antipolice,’ ‘unpatriotic,’ to scare people from stepping forward,” he said later in an interview. “It takes courage to say, ‘I’m going to do it anyway, because it’s what’s right.’”

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-20-2017, 06:47 PM)GMDino Wrote: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/sports/football/colin-kaepernick-nypd-rally.html

Who cares? 

An estimated 80, out of thousands of NYPD officers, not to mention thousands more retired, have this opinion.  Pardon me, but who gives a shit?

[GMDino]

(08-20-2017, 07:31 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Who cares? 

An estimated 80, out of thousands of NYPD officers, not to mention thousands more retired, have this opinion.  Pardon me, but who gives a shit?

Probably the people who organized it and came to it.  And all the people across the country who support him.

That's all.



I'm surprised at the anger towards police about this.

[Millhouse]

I have seen where there are some demanding a boycott of the NFL because he isnt signed yet, like from NAACP chapter of Atlanta and elsewhere.

Well, I wont boycott the league because of this, because if I was an owner, I wouldn't hire him. It isn't just kneeling for me if I was an owner. He has publicly worn tshirts that defend Fidel Castro at a press conference. He also worn Malcom X hats & tshirts. And then to top it off, unless he has been to a barber, he looks like he time-warped out of a 1972 black panther gathering, except for the clothes.

My point is, being in the NFL and professional sports requires someone should be at least somewhat professional on and off the field. Throw all of that together, I can't fault an employer in not hiring him knowing the distraction of what it would bring to the team.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-20-2017, 07:36 PM)GMDino Wrote: Probably the people who organized it and came to it.  And all the people across the country who support him.

That's all.

So not many people, got it.  Take of your SJW goggles for a moment and think like an actual football fan.  If the guy was good enough, and willing to take a reasonable salary, an NFL team would sign him.  That he isn't signed speaks far more to his ability and salary demands than anything else.

Quote:I'm surprised at the anger towards police about this.

Where are you getting angry?  You established a bullshit premise and I deflated said bullshit premise.  No emotion was involved I assure you.   Besides you hold to monopoly on treating the police as a monolithic entity, I wouldn't want to step on your toes. 

[*jason*]

(08-20-2017, 08:40 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: So not many people, got it.  Take of your SJW goggles for a moment and think like an actual football fan.  If the guy was good enough, and willing to take a reasonable salary, an NFL team would sign him.  That he isn't signed speaks far more to his ability and salary demands than anything else.




Where are you getting angry?  You established a bullshit premise and I deflated said bullshit premise.  No emotion was involved I assure you.   Besides you hold to monopoly on treating the police as a monolithic entity, I wouldn't want to step on your toes. 

Brandon Weeden is still on an NFL roster.

I'm not sure what Kaepernick's looking for salary wise, but he's definitely good enough to be on a roster.

I don't care about this story in the least, but the angle that he's just not good enough doesn't ring true to me.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-20-2017, 08:54 PM)jason Wrote: Brandon Weeden is still on an NFL roster.

And? 

Quote:I'm not sure what Kaepernick's looking for salary wise, but he's definitely good enough to be on a roster.

So certain are you?  Word is Seattle offered him a contract but he rejected it.  Apparently he's looking for a chance to start and starter money.  He doesn't deserve either based solely on ability, much less then enormous distraction that he brings to a team.

Quote:I don't care about this story in the least, but the angle that he's just not good enough doesn't ring true to me.

I enjoy how people who come to a football website, who apparently have watched football a large percentage of their lives apparently forget everything they know about the game when this subject comes up.  Ray Lewis helped kill a guy, Ben was accused of rape twice, Mike Vick ran a dog fighting ring, I could go on about NFL players with loose to non-existant morals who continued playing.  As, I believe LeonardLeap put it (whoever it was it was excellently put), you can be good and a distraction and still play, if you're mediocre and a distraction you can say good bye right now.  Don't believe me?  Ask Tim Tebow, a man who was a distraction for no negative reason, but nevertheless was a distraction.  All Kaepernick has left is playing the race angle and what NFL team is going to want to deal with that?

[Vlad]

Lol....Supporters and NAACP calling for boycott of NFL until that douche is signed.

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2017/08/20/kaepernick-supporters-call-for-nfl-boycott.html

[StLucieBengal]

So some cops were out grandstanding for a qb who isn't that good?

[*jason*]

(08-20-2017, 09:04 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: And? 



So certain are you?  Word is Seattle offered him a contract but he rejected it.  Apparently he's looking for a chance to start and starter money.  He doesn't deserve either based solely on ability, much less then enormous distraction that he brings to a team.



I enjoy how people who come to a football website, who apparently have watched football a large percentage of their lives apparently forget everything they know about the game when this subject comes up.  Ray Lewis helped kill a guy, Ben was accused of rape twice, Mike Vick ran a dog fighting ring, I could go on about NFL players with loose to non-existant morals who continued playing.  As, I believe LeonardLeap put it (whoever it was it was excellently put), you can be good and a distraction and still play, if you're mediocre and a distraction you can say good bye right now.  Don't believe me?  Ask Tim Tebow, a man who was a distraction for no negative reason, but nevertheless was a distraction.  All Kaepernick has left is playing the race angle and what NFL team is going to want to deal with that?

And? And he's much better than Brandon Weeden. He's better than some guys who will be starting this year.

I said I was not certain what he wanted paid. If he's looking for franchise QB money, he's not gonna get it. I'd not heard that about Seattle, but I have heard that someone in that organization said he was "too good to be a backup" whatever that means. This is just me guessing but you probably wouldn't want to bring him into a situation where half the defense hates the starting QB, and kind of sides with Kaepernick politically.

I get what you're saying about distractions. Kaepernick is much better than Tebow ever was though... And again, I don't give two ***** about Kaepernick, his misinformed politics, or who does what during the national anthem. I choose to stand for it, and that's all I can control. At the end of the day, owners have the right to hire whomever they please. If Kaepernick never plays another down, and has to bust his ass to make a living like I do so be it. But it will be because of politics, not his ability.

[samhain]

(08-20-2017, 09:34 PM)jason Wrote: And? And he's much better than Brandon Weeden. He's better than some guys who will be starting this year.

I said I was not certain what he wanted paid. If he's looking for franchise QB money, he's not gonna get it. I'd not heard that about Seattle, but I have heard that someone in that organization said he was "too good to be a backup" whatever that means. This is just me guessing but you probably wouldn't want to bring him into a situation where half the defense hates the starting QB, and kind of sides with Kaepernick politically.

I get what you're saying about distractions. Kaepernick  is much  better than Tebow ever was though... And again, I don't give two ***** about Kaepernick, his misinformed politics, or who does what during the national anthem. I choose to stand for it, and that's all I can control. At the end of the day, owners have the right to hire whomever they please. If Kaepernick never plays another down, and has to bust his ass to make a living like I do so be it. But it will be because of politics, not his ability.

He's better than any quarterback on Jacksonville's roster.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-20-2017, 09:34 PM)jason Wrote: And? And he's much better than Brandon Weeden. He's better than some guys who will be starting this year.

I said I was not certain what he wanted paid. If he's looking for franchise QB money, he's not gonna get it. I'd not heard that about Seattle, but I have heard that someone in that organization said he was "too good to be a backup" whatever that means. This is just me guessing but you probably wouldn't want to bring him into a situation where half the defense hates the starting QB, and kind of sides with Kaepernick politically.

I get what you're saying about distractions. Kaepernick  is much  better than Tebow ever was though... And again, I don't give two ***** about Kaepernick, his misinformed politics, or who does what during the national anthem. I choose to stand for it, and that's all I can control. At the end of the day, owners have the right to hire whomever they please. If Kaepernick never plays another down, and has to bust his ass to make a living like I do so be it. But it will be because of politics, not his ability.

I understand what you're saying, even if I don't agree with all of it.  The bottom line is that the NFL is in the business of winning.  If a franchise thought signing Kaepernick was the difference between losing and a potential SB shot they'd sign him yesterday.  He isn't signed and there's a reason for that.

(08-21-2017, 12:16 AM)samhain Wrote: He's better than any quarterback on Jacksonville's roster.

Immaterial, what he wants versus what he costs (in all aspects) is.  Grow up and realize this and you'll understand why he remains unsigned.

[samhain]

(08-21-2017, 01:02 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I understand what you're saying, even if I don't agree with all of it.  The bottom line is that the NFL is in the business of winning.  If a franchise thought signing Kaepernick was the difference between losing and a potential SB shot they'd sign him yesterday.  He isn't signed and there's a reason for that.


Immaterial, what he wants versus what he costs (in all aspects) is.  Grow up and realize this and you'll understand why he remains unsigned.

If he's better than a starter, then why wouldn't he want low-end starter pay?  No need to be snippy.  Just stating facts.  Bortles and Henne are trash.  

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-21-2017, 01:17 AM)samhain Wrote: If he's better than a starter, then why wouldn't he want low-end starter pay?  No need to be snippy.  Just stating facts.  Bortles and Henne are trash.  

You'd have to ask him.  Perhaps remaining unsigned benefits him?  Can you disallow for that possibility?

[samhain]

(08-21-2017, 01:23 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: You'd have to ask him.  Perhaps remaining unsigned benefits him?  Can you disallow for that possibility?

Not really.  I'd guess he has enough money to get by for the rest of his life.  What did Seattle offer him?  

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-21-2017, 01:29 AM)samhain Wrote: Not really.  I'd guess he has enough money to get by for the rest of his life.  What did Seattle offer him?  

No idea, pure conjecture, which is my point.

[samhain]

(08-21-2017, 01:42 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: No idea, pure conjecture, which is my point.

Fair enough then.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that owners are colluding to keep him out, but I do think they'd rather avoid the attention he brings. I believe it will blow up in their faces in the end. More players will do what he did and react to his situation. More popular and talented ones will continue to act out. Maybe that's what you meant by benefitting him. If it is, then I agree with you.

[StLucieBengal]

(08-21-2017, 01:17 AM)samhain Wrote: If he's better than a starter, then why wouldn't he want low-end starter pay?  No need to be snippy.  Just stating facts.  Bortles and Henne are trash.  

We all put a value on our skills and to this point his has valued himself not he same as the rest of the league values him.

[StLucieBengal]

Besides being out of football may be better for him. The worse he plays the more irrelevant he will become. He could probably set up a nice foundation funded by BLM boosters and other leftist money groups.

Probably makes more in the long term than holding a clipboard in any city.

[BmorePat87]

He'll find a team after week 1. He played too well last season not to.