If Kaepernick Is Not Welcome in the NFL, Then the NFL Isn't Welcome in My Home

By Michael Moore, Michael Moore's Facebook Page

15 September 17

hen the NFL kicked off it’s season on Sunday, I was on stage at the Belasco Theatre performing my one-man show.

As I shared with my audience, I’m not watching any NFL games this year. I’m done.

I’ve decided to boycott the NFL this year because 32 NFL teams have colluded to blacklist one player: Colin Kaepernick.

Last year, Kaepernick decided to take a stand against the oppression and state violence against black Americans that still plagues this country. He did it in a quiet, dignified and nonviolent way - by taking a knee during the national anthem. If not for that action, Colin Kaepernick would be on an NFL roster right now.

There are 32 NFL teams. 3 quarterbacks per team. That’s 96 quarterbacks on NFL rosters.

Kaepernick led his team to the Super Bowl in 2012-13. He threw for 300 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 62 yards and another touchdown.

He’s 29 years old. He is in the prime of his career.

There are NOT 96 better quarterbacks in the world than Colin Kaepernick. There are NOT 64 better quarterbacks than Kaepernick. There are not even 32 quarterbacks better than Kaepernick.

NFL teams are signing quarterbacks with no NFL track records. They’re signing mediocre has-beens who’ve had little success in the league.

Whenever an NFL team has to sign a player, they have every right to look into the pros and cons of what that player brings to the table. Will there be distractions? Will they cause trouble in the locker room? Will they represent the team in an honorable way?

When a player has a history of bad sportsmanship, domestic violence or other crimes, NFL teams have a right to weigh that when deciding if they want to sign him. And they nearly ALWAYS come to the conclusion that those players are fine - they’re worth the controversy. They’re worth the distraction and the bad PR.

But when a talented young quarterback, who's been a model citizen and model teammate; who's put up good numbers and who's taken his team to the Super Bowl, decided to take a political stand in a quiet, dignified and nonviolent way - the NFL says NO! That’s too much trouble! We need to shut him down!

There are about 1,700 players in the NFL. About 70 percent of them are black.

Blacklisting Kaepernick is as much about the owners as it is about Colin. The message is a loud and clear:

"Obey us. Get in line. Don’t rock the boat. Keep bashing your heads in, collecting your paychecks and shutting your mouths. We run this league. We run this country."

And it's a message to any American who dares to speak out in their workplace about an injustice that they see: shut up. Keep it to yourself. It's not worth it. Your career will be over.

I want no part in this anymore. I love the Lions. I love the Packers. I used to enjoy lazy Sundays watching NFL RedZone and SportsCenter. But not this year. If Kaepernick is not welcome in the NFL, then the NFL isn’t welcome in my home.

On Sunday I asked my audience to join with me in a protest against those who would shut down a brave citizen who spoke out against the madness that permeates our country right now. They did. Here are the photos. If you think this is just about football, please think again.

#IStandWithKaep