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It’s almost as if Colin Kaepernick has given those in the sports realm the green light to express the frustration they may feel at the relentless (and avoidable) death of black people at the hands of police.
To wit, on Thursday evening, NFL commentator Shannon Sharpe passionately told his co-worker about his take on Kaepernick’s National Anthem controversy. Mixing it up with the always antagonistic Skip Bayless on Fox 1’s Undisputed, the former NFL star had some sharp words for his co-host, and some advice on what white folks can do to be allies: “don’t tell us what to grieve for.”
Sharpe began by stating that black men who fought in World War II fought on foreign soil for freedom and then came home to face rampant discrimination (though it should be noted that African Americans have fought and died in every single war in this nation including the Revolutionary War).
“I have a very unique perspective, Skip,” said Sharpe. “I’m from rural, South Georgia. I’m 48 years old.” He went on to say that though he grew up dirt poor and is now wealthy, “the one thing I have been for 48 years, is black.”
In terms of the current situation with black men and women being killed by police, he says that he saw a man in South Florida kill two people, stab a third and eat someone’s face, and yet he was taken alive.
“I see a [black] guy selling CD‘s, and he’s killed. I see a [black] guy selling loosie cigarettes, and he’s killed,” says Sharpe, his voice rising. “You see, that’s what gets us up in arms. Because you say non-compliance is a death sentence. If a man is gnawing a man’s face after he’s killed two people? We see what happened in Colorado; the [white] guy killed 12, and they take him alive. We see what happened in Charleston; nine parishioners and not only do they take [white guy] alive, they take him to buy Burger King because he’s hungry. So you think we’re supposed to be OK with this?”
Bayless, who for once is not saying much, asks meekly, “How do we solve it?”
Sharpe responds that it “starts with us.” “This goes back 400 years; we’re not going to solve this in one or two years,” says Sharpe. “But we have to acknowledge that this exists. Stop sweeping [racism] under the rug.”
READ MORE: TheRoot.com
Article Courtesy of The Root
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Shannon Sharpe Gives His Thoughts on Racism and Protesting was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
