A big salute to Vice President Mike Pence, who walked out of a 49ers/Colts game Sunday after several San Francisco players once again “took a knee” during the National Anthem. He explained this way: “I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag or our National Anthem.”
But one of Colin Kaepernick’s earliest and biggest protest supporters, 49ers safety Eric Reid, expressed anger at Pence, accusing him of coming to the game because he knew one team would be protesting, just so he could walk out as a PR stunt. Reid accused Pence of “systematic oppression.”
Really? That's your idea of oppression, that someone didn't like what you did and walked out? Here’s an alternate explanation: Maybe Pence came for the Colts, since he’s the former Governor of Indiana. And maybe when he walked out, he was using his knees to make a statement about his deeply-held beliefs. Sound familiar? By the way, he actually has the right to do that, because he doesn’t work for the NFL and is therefore not subject to the employee code of conduct that requires standing at attention during the National Anthem. If Mr. Reid thinks it's "oppression" when NFL fans leave in disgust, then he must be feeling really oppressed these days. Although so far, not oppressed enough to give up his $8.4 million contract and go take a knee at home.
Leave a Comment
Note: Fields marked with an * are required.