Former NFL quarterback and original anthem protester Colin Kaepernick, accused the United States military of terrorist attacks” against “Black and Brown bodies,” and referred to our nation’s service members as plunderers of the “non white world.”
Kaepernick made the statement on Saturday in a pair of tweets posted on Saturday, in an apparent response to the American attack that killed Iranian IRGC General Qasem Soleimani on Thursday.
The attack was ordered after Soleimani engaged in a long series of atrocities against American military members and civilians in the Middle East, culminating in an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad last week.
Part of the media’s narrative in defending Kaepernick had been that, although he refused to stand in respect of the national anthem, the former 49er was not protesting against the military and never meant any disrespect towards the military.
However, in accusing the military of plundering “Black and Brown bodies” in a quest to plunder the “non white world,” it’s hard to make the case that he’s not accusing the military of being a willing partner in what he views as a racist and imperialist empire.
Kaepernick’s tweets on Saturday are only the most recent of his actions which defy the media narrative surrounding his protests. Another key media talking point was that Kaepernick had never meant to disrespect the flag with his protests. However, the league’s original anthem protester gave lie to that spin when he successfully lobbied Nike to pull their “Betsy Ross Flag themed sneakers last summer.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn