TakeAKnee is just another Yellow Ribbon

A few years ago, in the country of Canada, there was a protest of sorts.  It was about violence against women, and to show that someone was against it, they bought a yellow ribbon and wore it.

In other words, if you opposed the violence, you bought a ribbon, and then...  nothing. 

That was it.  You did nothing else.  No need to actually do anything, like volunteer at a shelter to help a victim, or donate money to a charity that provides support, or do some self-examination into your own anger issues, etc.

So the "Yellow Ribbon" campaign was a sham; it gave people the feeling that they were "doing something" about violence, when in fact, they weren't really doing anything at all.  It padded people's egos, letting them thinking they were doing good for society, without actually having to do anything.

Now we see the TakeAKnee movement in the States, where pro atheletes are refusing to stand while the national anthem is sung.

It's the same thing.

If a pro athelete really feels passionate about the plight of African-Americans, there are many things they are do about it, like:

* Volunteering at a shelter
* Donating to support charities that help poor African-Americans
* Taking a million dollars of their own money and building a playground or a park in a poor neighbourhood
* Being a celebrity spokesperson for a support center
* Calling on government to increase funding for youth places like the Boys and Girls Club of America
* Choosing to be a mentor for a youth group

That would be real action.  That would create real change.

But that's not what's happening, is it?  These players are taking a knee, but then doing nothing else; nothing that would actually help the situation.

In fact, what these atheletes are doing is taking the easy way out.  It's really, really easy to kneel during the anthem, especially when you see your other teammates doing it.  But then, on their drive back to their huge luxury mansion, what happens if they pass through a poor neighbourhood?  

They roll up the windows and keep driving.

If these players really truly cared, they would show it through REAL action - they would be doing charitable acts to help the less fortunate.

Taking a knee does nothing.  Why?  Because it's like the Yellow Ribbon campaign: it's stating the obvious.  99.99999999% of people oppose racism: having a campaign to say "you should oppose racism" is pointless because it's pointing out the obvious that most people already agree with.

Instead, if these players truly care, they would band together and announce they are all volunteering at a shelter, or they are starting a charity to raise money for the less fortunate, or doing some other kind of true charitable work that would help.

Yes, it would be harder because it would be work for the players, but it would be real change, unlike taking a knee, which is, in the end, just another yellow ribbon.

LKvi