Two-thirds of the NFL’s players are black, but film director Spike Lee says one black quarterback’s failure to play for a team has made the league a segregationist institution.
In a CNN forum Wednesday called “Patriotism, the Players and the President,” Mr. Lee began yelling about former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began protesting the national anthem last year, not being signed by any NFL team this year.
.@SpikeLee: “Which #NFL owner is going to be the Branch Rickey and give Colin Kaepernick a job?” #CNNTownHall https://t.co/xxKvSvEVRR
— CNN (@CNN) September 28, 2017
“There’s 32 teams in the league. Are there any teams where he can be the starting quarterback right now?” Mr. Lee asked another panelist, who agreed that Kaepernick is as good as some starting quarterbacks but that he’s too much of lightning rod to be worth it from a business perspective.
The film-maker replied: “I got an answer for you — Branch Rickey,” he said referring to the Brooklyn Dodgers owner who signed Jackie Robinson in the 1940s and ended decades of major-league teams’ refusal to sign black players.
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Mr. Lee then began yelling and talking over his co-panelists snickering at comparing Kaepernick to a Hall of Fame player such as Robinson.
“Branch Rickey made the decision we’re going to hire Jackie Robinson when nobody else wanted him!” Mr. Lee exclaimed.
“I’m giving you an example when someone made a decision … which is the owner who’s gonna be Branch Rickey and give Colin Kaepernick a job?” Mr. Lee yelled over his colleagues onstage.
Kaepernick’s not playing this year came up in the context of Mr. Lee scoffing at the fact that several NFL owners locked arms at last weekend’s games with their mostly black players, many of whom were taking a knee during the anthem. Mr. Lee said such actions are just show until Kaepernick is signed.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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