by John Walters

And these children that you spit on

As they try to change their worlds

Are immune to your consultations

They’re quite aware of what they’re going through

On Friday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell took the first step: he admitted the NFL was wrong—the very word he used—in not listening to its players a few years back when they voiced their concerns, peacefully, about systemic police brutality against black men.

It took Drew Brees one day. It took Roger Goodell and the NFL a few years.

This morning, June 6th, I received a text from a good an old friend. It read simply: “Utah Omaha Juno Sword Gold.” The five beaches/attack points of the Normandy invasion. I replied, and I sincerely mean this, “America’s finest day.”

When Brees initially posted the other day that kneeling during the anthem was disrespecting the flag and the soldiers who died on days such as this, I disagreed (but did not tweet it; I’m better off voicing my thoughts here). The best part about the United States of America is you are free to not think in lockstep with everyone else as long as you obey the laws. The very act of civil disobedience is the most patriotic thing that you can do, or don’t you know how this country originated?

To kneel during the anthem is not to disrespect the soldiers who gave their lives. It’s to remind Americans that we can and should do better. I’ve often wondered why people are more upset that someone is kneeling during the national anthem than they are with innocent men being murdered by police.

Two more points:

1. Had a discussion with someone the other day who wondered why someone had to bring their personal issues into a football game. I asked him why I had to watch players wearing pink cleats and wristbands during the month of October. The implicit reasoning is that everyone’s against cancer so it is not political. So everyone isn’t against police brutality?
2. Before this decade, or even half-decade, or maybe even year is out, an enlightened and somewhat reformed NFL will finally honor Colin Kaepernick. Maybe someone will hire him as a backup quarterback (why not the Minnesota Vikings?). Roger Goodell will mention him by name. Maybe the league will even name an award after him. One way or another, the league will acknowledge how wrong it was to blackball him and that it completely mishandled his situation. Kaepernick never needed to be vindicated, as far as many of us are concerned. But the NFL will vindicate his courage. Some day.

Kap will be remembered in the same breath with Rosa Parks and the marchers at the Selma bridge and the young men at the lunch counter in one of the Carolinas. Yes he will.