San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepaernick chose not to stand during the national anthem during a preseason game today.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told the NFL Network’s Steve Wyche. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
So far, this seems to have stirred a great debate over whether players have the right to sit during the national anthem (according to the NFL, they do have that right), but it has not caused very many people to talk about the reason he chose to sit.
As long as the focus remains on Kaepaernick and not on the issue he’s trying to highlight, I guess his protest will be a failure.
Personally, I think he’s bound to get wounded by this. For one thing, when does he decide that he can end this protest? It’s not like he’s going to get some kind of victory out of it that will provide an excuse to stand for the national anthem again.
More specifically to his career, he’s a quarterback who’s had some success in the past, but he’s not been playing well of late, and he’s really fighting for his football career right now. He isn’t a guy who has a guaranteed place in the league, so this could really finish him off if management has to make a tough call.
That makes his move more courageous, but also a little reckless as far as his future is concerned.
But he knows all this and he’s doing it anyway. So, it might be nice if people focused a little more on what he said and a little less on his right to say it.
On a related note, I took a long drive today on backroads through several counties of rural and exurban Pennsylvania. I was in Chester, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. I kept an eye out for any political signs on cars or lawns or anywhere else to see if I could discover any evidence to back up the August 22nd story in the New York Post by Salena Zito that claimed that:
If you drive anywhere in Pennsylvania, from the turnpike to the old US routes to the dirt roads connecting small towns like Hooversville with “bigger” small towns like Somerset, you might conclude that Donald Trump is ahead in this state by double digits.
Large signs, small signs, homemade signs, signs that wrap around barns, signs that go from one end of a fence to another dot the landscape with such frequency that, if you were playing the old-fashioned road-trip game of counting cows, you would hit 100 in just one small town like this one.
In Ruffsdale, I am pretty sure I saw more than 100 Trump signs.
Now, Ruffs Dale (the proper spelling of the town) and Somerset and Hooversville are in the mountainous western part of the state, and I can’t tell you what it’s like out there, but in the eastern part of the state (which qualifies as “anywhere in Pennsylvania”), I only encountered one Trump lawn sign on a trip from Exton to Bethlehem and no bumper stickers. That sign was on the property of a pretty fancy looking farm near Quakertown with numerous outbuildings.
On the way back, I took a different route and I saw three yard signs on modestly nice properties. One was near Delphi, north of Schwenksville, I remember, and another was near Spinnerstown not far from the northern spur of the Blue Route. Again, no bumper stickers on any cars and no “homemade signs, signs that wrap around barns, signs that go from one end of a fence to another.”
Of the four total signs I saw in a nearly 100 mile round-trip through the backroads of Pennsylvania, three were for Trump and one was for Trump/Pence. There were no Hillary signs or bumper stickers at all.
What there were, however, were well more than a dozen signs that said “I support our police,” or some variation on that. Not all the signs were the same. What I suspect is that more than one local police department along my route is giving out these signs to people who answer their solicitations to donate.
If I didn’t know that an election was occurring in a couple of months, my trip would not have tipped me off, but I would have wondered why there was so much energy going into expressing support for law enforcement.
Now, the areas I was traveling along are Republican areas. Some of these counties are competitive but the Democratic votes come mainly from college towns and cities, which aside from skips through Collegeville and Bethlehem, were not the places I was visiting.
Eight years ago, these areas were already dotted with McCain signs long before Labor Day. I remember this, because I recall being several notches more offended when they started to get replaced by McCain/Palin signs after she was announced as his running mate on August 29th, 2008.
I don’t have anything in my memory banks from four years ago that helps identify exactly when the Romney and Romney/Ryan signs went up, but the pattern of the first being replaced by the second definitely repeated itself.
What I’m saying is that there were way more signs four and eight years ago at this time in these Republican areas.
However, there were also a lot of Obama signs four and eight years ago, and plenty of Clinton signs, too, in the primaries. They have not been in evidence this time around.
So, it’s not just that no one is visually supporting Trump. People seem unwilling to advertise their support for anyone right now, including even the previously ubiquitous Ron Paul stickers and signs.
But quite a few people are proudly supporting the police.
Meanwhile, an NFL quarterback is refusing to stand for the national anthem because he’s tired of the police unjustly shooting and killing black people and then getting paid leave instead of
any accountability.
I imagine that isn’t going to play well along the route I traveled today.
I’m not a believer that political lawn signs are a good barometer of how people will vote, but the utter lack of them seems to indicate something is different about this election season. For a country so plainly polarized, it’s weird not to see more people taking a stand.
So, that’s my dispatch from red country in the East. Maybe out in the West there is some kind of Trumpmania, but that’s an utter myth here.
Within a few months of getting our Obamacare bumper sticker, my husband had two old white men yell obscenities at him from their cars. Then one day, I had a man, almost the definition of “Redneck”, leave his pickup truck to approach me and explain to me that Obamacare had been voted down and was about to end. He wasn’t violent, just condescending. But he outweighed me by a hundred pounds, and my kids were in the car. That was enough. I took the sticker off, and I will not have anything indicating my political leanings on my car or house as long as I have children living with me.
It was common during the primaries to hear people, mostly women, express their discomfort with how they were treated if they were supporting Clinton. Many were unwilling to admit it, even to their friends, and were surprised to discover how many others were with them. Many stated that they wouldn’t dream of putting out a yard sign. It’s not safe.
I would expect there to be more Trump signs in yards. Trump supporters are frequently young, male, and armed. They have nothing to fear. We fear them. Together, we will beat them. But individually, we have the sense to not attract their attention.
I would say on limited data driving around the Bay Area that I have seen more Bernie stickers/signs than Hillary and Trump signs combined. But overall the number of signs is almost negligible.
I think this is a direct result of the high negatives both candidates have. And it could be a leading indicator of low turnout in November which should be a real concern for Hillary. Bernie could help get turnout up if they could get him on the road. It wouldn’t shock me if turnout followed the pattern of 2008 (129m) to 2012 (125m) with 2016 being lower yet.
That could make the margin for Clinton lower than current polling and lead to fewer down ballot wins which is really crucial to her initial success in office. And would really set up a disaster in 2018.
OTOH, maybe she beats Obama’s 2008 vote totals and Johson gets 5% from Trump for a 54 – 41 – 5 finish which would be fantastic.
Could it be because both candidates has low favourability ratings?
I mean, people might vote for them still, but if you don’t like your candidate, just dislike the other more, will you want to associate yourself with the candidate?
In general, in a democracy, it can be taken as read that the vast majority of people support law enforcement. But actually putting up a yard sign to say so seems to signify something else. Does it mean you fear repercussions from local law enforcement if you don’t do so, or that you actually support them shooting African Americans for no good reason? If the latter, you seem to be inviting repercussions of another sort…
How many non-white people live in rural PA? Who is going to reprecuss them?
Exactly.
How about some black dude or white radical out for a drive who takes exception to being regarded as a legitimate target for white racists in police uniforms? I have sometimes wondered whether the racist white enthusiasm for no gun control would outlive a situation where minorities started arming to the teeth and fought back if molested or attacked.
Here is an important bit of U.S. history which provides an answer to your question:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-panthers-california-1967_us_568accfce4b014efe0db2f40
The aftereffects of this episode wasn’t only represented by the immediate legislative response…
“Mulford’s legislation, which became known as the “Panthers Bill,” passed with the support of the National Rifle Association, which apparently believed that the whole “good guy with a gun” thing didn’t apply to black people. California Gov. Ronald Reagan (R), who would later campaign for president as a steadfast defender of the Second Amendment, signed the bill into law.”
…but is represented by the fact that the episode is culturally resonant for many in our country to this day.
That kind of act did in fact stop whites from going into black areas to fuck up blacks in someplaces. so it kind of worked.
A lot more Trump signs (but still not many) in Fox Chapel (e.g. traditional Republican upper class community) than there are in Clairton et al. (supposed “Trump folk”).
My wife and I took a trip last weekend from Milwaukee up to Shawano (“the poor man’s Eagle River”) and from there up to Eagle River (“the poor man’s Minocqua”) a few miles south of the Michigan border. Interesting factoid: the airport outside Eagle River advertises itself as being able to handle small corporate jets (from Chicago). I wasn’t curious enough to verify this but a quick scan of some of the real estate up there leaves little doubt in one’s mind. But the local economy is driven mainly by tourism so the permanent residents are just getting by.
Anyhow. As a point of reference we made the Milwaukee-Shawano run a number of times in the fall of 2010 and it was solid Walker/Ron Johnson signs from the Milwaukee city limits all the way north. This year we saw only a scattering of Trump signs. But none, not a one, for Clinton. A scattering of Feingold signs, but even then you’d see a Feingold sign on the property but no sign for Clinton. Likewise most of the signs for Johnson did not also have one up for Trump.
Most recent polling data (early August) has Clinton up 52%/37% over Trump among likely voters. But at least in that part of the state even the partisans are not bragging up their choices much.
The Clinton campaign is not giving away yard signs. They are selling them as a fund-raising mechanism. The shipping of the signs costs about what the sign costs. It’s just way too expensive. (A yard sign is $20 + s/h, maybe another $10 or more). So the campaign isn’t investing in giving signs away, like Trump probably is. Can’t even get a bumper sticker without paying for it. ($5 + s/h) Buttons, $5.
It seems like this “chum” is just a part of the past. Clinton seems to be investing in staff rather than stuff. Obama did the same in 2008 and 2012 until perhaps October.
A common saying in the Obama campaign was: “Yard signs don’t vote.”
OT, but Policing for Profit backlash might have produced a setback to the bail bond racket. DOJ is going after the STATE abuse.
DoJ Says Jail for Not Making Bail is Unconstitutional
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/08/doj-says-locking-poor-cant-pay-bail-unconstitutional.html
I put up a Clinton sign a month ago and it was torn down and stolen within days. I have ordered two more even though they are ridiculously expensive. My first Obama sign was also stolen, so I painted one on a large piece of plywood and screwed it to heavy wooden posts. It lasted through the election season. May have to do that again.
I both applaud and admire your perseverance. Since I just joined up with the Dem/Clinton team in my small city(guess we are officially a battleground state now), though the GOP had their big event down the road yesterday. They announced loudly that the state is reliably Red and the US Senator not running for reelection and our congressman who is both made speeches saying that the state will vote for Trump.
There’s been a recent spate of public support of Trump among the local and state elected Republicans here. I don’t think it’s Trump who’s pressuring them, it’s their constituents. But, Booman and others are correct in saying that Trump’s real base of support is here in the South.
Hopefully, our GOTV effort here and elsewhere in the State will have a positive effect in turning out Democratic leaning voters. Too early to tell yet as the effort has just begun. Interesting to note that all the Dem operatives and team leaders here from the Clinton campaign are young African Americans, consistent with who’s actually formally affiliated with the Democratic party in Georgia.
You should have a look at the northern part of our fair County. Drive on route 23 between Elverson and Phoenixville or on 100 between Pottstown and Eagle and you’ll see enough of them. Not huge numbers but more than the four you counted.
I actually drive Rte. 23 between Elverson and Morgantown regularly, and not a single Trump sign in that stretch. Nor in the stretch of Rte. 29 from Phoeneixville to Collegeville.
You are correct about the stretch between Elverson and Morgantown. No Trump signs. The signs I’m thinking of are somewhat east of there along 23. Again, not as many as you might think given the political landscape, but they are there.
I’ve been working in the vicinity of Levittown, PA – about 3 of every 5 weeks – since spring. Do a daily jog in the local townships and run by lots of houses, not just on the main roads.
I think I’ve seen one Trump sign and one bumper sticker. None for Clinton. There were a few stickers for Sanders and now a few for Gary Johnson.
I’m not saying this is representative of anything, but completely contradicts the anecdotes.
Oh – and these neighborhoods – a lot of them are overflowing with American flags. Honestly, I haven’t seen that many country flags jogging by row houses since I ran through the Unionist part of Belfast for a 4:30 am sunrise jog a few Junes ago. That usually is a sign of being a strong Republican area – but still no Trump signs.
I live in one of California’s reddest districts, which sadly is represented by a Tom McClintock, a man who’d sell parcels in Yosemite Valley to concrete and aggregate producing companies and if he could. I’ve seen a few Trump signs, but not many compared with the amount of Romney signs I saw four years ago. Almost no Clinton sign.
The above being said, I know more than a few Romney voters who are voting for Clinton, or at least think Trump shouldn’t be near the highest office.
It’s a bit early, maybe, but during election season we always check the yard signs along the north shore here in Milwaukee County (WI). There aren’t many at all so far, maybe a couple of Clinton signs; nothing for Trump. Most of this strip (save Shorewood) would normally vote for the Republican candidate and you’d see Bush/Dole/Bush/Bush/McCain/Romney signs in advance of the results. No reason to suspect Clinton won’t carry WI as did Clinton, Gore, Kerry, and Obama, but you wouldn’t know it counting yard signs this year.
Been out to Waukesha County? Just curious, I have not so far.
Like yourself, there are places I go in Milwaukee County suburbs often enough that it’s predictable, I know who the Republican partisans are because in 2014 they had 4×8 ft. yard signs for Walker and Schiml (for those who aren’t from here, Schiml is the Atty. General). This year, I’m seeing these properties adorned with conventional-sized signs for Ron Johnson. No love for Trump.
But not seeing much love for Clinton in Milw. Co. either so far.
Just took a trip from northern California into Oregon and Washington. Saw a couple of Sanders signs, but that was all. As in the rest of the country, not a Hillary sign to be seen anywhere. No Trump ones either, but supposedly these are diehard ‘blue’ states, guaranteed for Hillary, so I’d say the lack of Hillary signs is more significant. Looking more and more like a major slaughter for the Dems. Certainly hard to see Hillary taking any states west of the Mississippi, and few east of it.
This has to be the most absurd bit of concern trolling I’ve seen on this blog.
Unless I am mistaken, California is west of the Mississippi….
well, concern trolling, but also must be some typos since it makes no sense at all
I just got back yesterday from 2 weeks out in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. In those 2 weeks I saw a handful of Trump bumper stickers and none for Hillary. All the lawn signs (and I saw plenty in Arizona) were for down ticket races. Seems consistent with what you saw.
Again, here in NM, you can’t get anyone to GIVE a sign or bumper sticker. You gotta buy them. The campaigns will milk that money until they have overstock of the signs and bumper stickers and are ready to give them away. Maybe in October! Can’t read anything much into any anecdotal info from signage.
Still have an O sign from 2008. It was in my apartment window in college so no chance of it being stolen. I’ve mostly kept it as a reminder of my first general election. It’s in a box with some buttons.
I still have my Obama Biden magnet from 2008 on my car. It was stolen off the car briefly while in Lancaster county in 2014, but was returned when the thief was called out by my son for taking it…the same child has been known to put the magnet in the glovebox when he borrows the car and drives in neighboring Berks County.
I live in a very conservative neighborhood in a very red state. I’ve gotten to expect the signs that appear in people’s yards over the years, even the stray democrat. This year, so far, nothing at all. But I have faith they will plant a sign before long. (Actually not even local candidates thus far. ) Just have to wait a little, it’s early.
I’ve failed to even find a Hillary Clinton campaign office here in Portland, Oregon. I know about a county Democrats’ office, but that’s another matter. And yard signs for anyone are rare as hens’ teeth.
My spouse claims to have convinced several GOP relatives in upstate NY to vote for Clinton. All seem to be disgusted by Trump; none is actually enthusiastic about Clinton.
Did I fall asleep and miss Labor Day? Most elections signs start going up around here about a month before elections. Most of them are campaign placements in highway and street rights of way. Then mid-October yard signs go up, sometimes national but mostly local.
Have not seen any yard signs yet. But a few pick-up trucks with Trump stickers and a few mini-SUVs with Clinton stickers.
I’m expecting a late blooming of campaign paraphenalia this year and more than the usual vandalism of Democratic signs.
I was in Johnstown, PA for work recently . I flew into Pittsburgh and drove on RT22. For those not familiar RT 22, east of Pittsburgh is it’s own reality show. I’ll never forget the sign on a strip club saying “Wednesday is militia night” after making a similar trip in 2009. The usual signs for the last few years have been anti-obama, pro-coal, pro-fracking. I have never seen a “Hillary for Prison” sign until this trip with a huge banner on a porch of a house. Trump signs were out, but not in mass like the other GOP or right wing signs I’ve seen before. Talking to people it is quiet support for Trump. I had people whisper support at dinners or coffee shops. If turnout is low, I’m now scared he has a shot.