I woke up the other morning and saw a post on Facebook about a white football player supporting his fellow black teammate in protest of the National Anthem. I was so geeked up! When I get excited, I sing and make up dances but not like, “The Wheels on the Bus go ‘Round and ‘Round” type lyrics. I’m more like, “Oooooooooohhhhh yeaaaaaaaaaah! Lemme see this whiiiiiiiiiiiiite boy on his kneeeeeeeeee!” It wasn’t until I was at the end of the article that I realized that people were praising Chris Long of the Philadelphia Eagles for placing his arm around his black teammate, Malcolm Jenkins as he held up his fist during the National Anthem. I guess it’s something, right? Sure. I kept reading and came across a quote by Long, “I’ve said before that I’ll never kneel for an anthem because the flag means something different for everybody in this country but I support my peers.” Yes, I know there is more to his quote. I don’t care (don’t @ me). And THAT’S what I call “Diet Support”.
Well damn, Chris! Thanks for putting yourself out there. I had to look at two pictures and read an entire article before I realized what your support was. Sometimes I’m a little too woke. I get it. I’m constantly checking my initial reactions to things especially when it comes to racism and allies. It’s like, “hey, boo! I see you with your Black Lives Matter button on your jacket!” *whispers “I had to squint to see it but I saw it sooooooooooooo, cool.” Then the next day my Facebook is blowing up like,”Look guys! We got ANOTHER white player supporting us!” I grabbed my eclipse glasses because I might not see this again in my lifetime and I didn’t want to damage my own vision. I see a photo of Justin Britt of the Seattle Seahawks with his hand on the shoulder of black teammate Michael Bennett as he sat during the National Anthem. I mean, visually, it made me uncomfortable but again, I’m too woke sometimes. How much more powerful would it have been to see a white player actually take a knee WITH his black teammate and show actual support?
There was a terrorist attack in Barcelona this week that took over my white friend’s social media feeds. “Pray for Barcelona”, “I stand with Barcelona” and even “I am Barcelona”. People always show what and who they support when tragedies occur. I remember when there was a terrorist attack in London at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper. Everyone was all “Je Suis Charlie” but no one was Je Suis Tamir or Travon or Sandra. It’s a dagger to the heart every single time. I used to hate when people said, “what about us” but really, what about US?! People of color are dying at the hands of paid public servants and you can’t move your mouth OR your fingers to declare that Black Lives Matter? I get that we’re supposed to meet people where they are but why don’t you try meeting me at least close to where I am? Paid public servants were ALLOWED to murder a 12 year old CHILD who was PLAYING IN A PARK and you want to offer your arm around me? No thanks. I don’t want your Diet Support. I want the full-fat. I need all the calories. Give me all the good stuff. Get on your knee; put your fist in the air; wear a Black Lives Matter shirt and when someone whispers “All Lives Matter” take the time to let them know what’s really going on; tell your racist uncle that he’s racist and stop laughing at your co-worker’s racist jokes. Ok? Thanks, team.