Harry Belafonte spoke on Colin Kaepernick’s stance against police brutality in an interview with Roland Martin for TV One. Kaepernick has been a lightning rod for commentary since he decided he’d no longer stand for the national anthem. While there’s been great and not-so-great takes on the actions of the 49ers QB, Belafonte came through to drop some knowledge and properly contextualize why Kap’s protest is so important.
Martin shared some of the comments of NFL front offices saying they don’t want Kap on their team and they looked at him as a traitor. Belafonte said “to mute the slave has always been to the best interest of the slave owner” and he believes “when black voices are raised in protest to oppression, those who are comfortable with our oppression are the first to criticize us.”
He calls what Kaepernick is doing a “noble” and “righteous thing to do.” The civil rights legend loves what’s happening so much he wants to see “hundreds” of black athletes stand in solidarity with the former Nevada QB.
As someone who’s witnessed the occasional generational gap when it comes to methods of protest, it’s affirming to see Harry Belafonte back Colin Kaepernick. Often, I’ve seen member of the Black Lives Matter movement take hits from the older generation about the way they protest because, supposedly, it’s “not what Martin Luther King, Jr. would do.”
Seeing a respected civil rights veteran like Harry say he not only loves what Kap is doing but he’d wish more would stand with him is most definitely something one should be able to appreciate.
