(ThyBlackMan.com) Something occurred Saturday, November 10th on the CBS This Morning – Saturday news show, which was not covered by the main street media and probably never will be, that is important to the African American (AA) community. What occurred is important, as the AA community actually has issues, that are unique to it; one such issue is the killings of black citizens by errant police officers and their proxies.
So, what happened? Before detailing what occurred, we have to walk back through some historical facts and details. These details and material facts are important, as they will give you a perspective, that you would otherwise, not have. But, what can be said before delving into the historical details and factual timelines, this sordid story is all about money.
So let’s start from the beginning and quickly bring you up to speed. The initial protests over the killings of African Americans started in Sanford, Florida with the murder of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in 2012. The National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) became a part of this cause because Colin Kaepernick, in 2016, in a preseason game in August against the Green Bay Packers, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California did not stand for the national anthem. 
Kaepernick commented, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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. …” Clearly and unambiguously, Mr. Kaepernick, with those words, reflected the feelings and view point of all of us, who were protesting the killings.
The NFLPA, through Mr. Kaepernick and his campaign of kneeling, when the national anthem was played, echoed the sentiments of direct action to stop the killings; the same view point as those, who were already actively protesting. However, with the awarding of $89 million by NFL owners to the NFLPA, to stop the kneeling, you could literally see the NFLPA starting to lay the ground work leading to reneging on the commitment of direct action, disregarding the AA community’s desire to see the killings brought to an end.
DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA’s executive director, it would appear, had no interest in seeing the $89 million used in any direct way to stop the killings of African American citizens. It definitely looks like he misled the black community and indeed the American public, into thinking that the NFLPA was participating in a search for solutions, based on an article written by Jason Reid in The Undefeated on August 14, 2018, titled “NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith is against ‘drop-dead day’ to resolve anthem policy.” The Undefeated advertises itself as, “…the premier platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture.”
One could draw the impression of “no interest,” when it came to the NFLPA, in seeing the $89 million spent on direct action projects, because on the same CBS This Morning – Saturday news show mentioned above; it was announced on the show, Saturday, September 29, 2018, the entire $89 million would be handed over to an organization officially known as the Players Coalition. The Players Coalition was headed by Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins, formal NFL players. This organization based on the promo, would use the $89 million on indirect projects, that seemingly had nothing at all to do with the killings of black citizens ( See https://thyblackman.com/2018/10/03/ditching-direct-action-to-solve-the-killings-is-foolish/ ).
Apparently, the NFL and the NFLPA saw this as an image problem, that is the proposal of projects of indirect action, which didn’t affect or have any serious impact on stopping the killings. After all, the protest through kneeling by NFL players was about stopping the abuse and killings of African Americans. So, the Players Coalition, set out to find a project or cause, it could say it influenced directly, when it came to the killings and abuse of African Americans by law enforcement and its proxies.
Well, they found such a project. But, you have to ask yourself, why CBS pulled a video about the Players Coalition talking about their engagement in this direct action project, if their involvement, based on what they said in the video was true and undisputed?
The CBS This Morning – Saturday news show pulled the video on Saturday, November 10th after airing it, depicting Malcolm Jenkins, saying the Players Coalition impacted the success of Amendment 4, which was approved by Florida voters. The amendment asked voters to restore voting rights to felons – excluding those convicted of murder or sex offenses – who have served their time and met parole conditions. The measure restored voting rights to as many as 1.4 million convicted felons. Well, the video made it appear Malcom Jenkins and the Players Coalition had a major role in the successful approval by Florida voters of this amendment and that was just not the case. Of course, these 1.4 million felons, who are projected to largely vote Democratic in the upcoming 2020 election, if they register and vote, could impact the “Stand Your Ground” legislation passed by Republicans and signed into law, by then Republican Governor Jeb Bush, by sending Democratic legislators to Tallahassee, Florida.
However, the farce projected by the NFLPA through Mr. Jenkins and the Players Coalition was up ended when CBS pulled the video. Additionally, when you examine the list of donors to “Floridians For A Fair Democracy,” the group that led the ballot campaign, the NFL, NFLPA and the Players Coalition, as of the writing of this piece were not listed as cash or in kind services donors. It is unknown, if CBS pulled the video itself or was prompted by a third party to do so. This link shows you what is left of the referenced video ( https://www.onenewspage.co.uk/n/US/1zjaqpg4ns/How-the-NFL-Player-Coalition-influenced-ballot.htm ).
Some of you may ask the obvious question; Why is this important? It is important, for you and the public to know, in this era of “fake news,” as President Donald Trump likes to say, the NFL, NFLPA, and the Players Coalition are portraying themselves, as something they are not. And that is, that they are organizations sensitive to an issue, that’s very important to the black community, and that issue is the unwarranted killing of African Americans by law enforcement and their proxies. An organization, like the Players Coalition, with its financial clout, backed largely by Republican billionaires is problematic for our community and indeed for Americans in general, because the messaging from such an organization may mislead the African American community, such as the message of the video, that was pulled by CBS.
If these guys would wake up, as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes stated, in their hit song, “Wake Up Everybody,” they would realize the public is usually right in these instances, more specifically the African American public, when it comes to issues like this. Committing to direct action to effect change, when it comes to the killings of African Americans could improve the image of the Players Coalition, the NFLPA and the brand of the NFL as a business.
Just one such suggestion and mind you this is “just one suggestion.” The NFL and the National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes (Lebron James applauded Mr. Kaepernick in Nike’s Just Do It! campaign) could, in their off times or even when they can find the time, visit schools and colleges nationwide over the next several years touting the benefits of and encouraging African Americans in pursuing a career in law enforcement. This is well within their protocol, as professional athletes and would make a long term difference. This would go a long way in breaking up the grip whites have on this profession and usher in more accountability. With part of the $89 million, as a result of their visits to these institutions, they could even collect and maintain an active pool of minority applicants, and offer referral services to open positions around the country, along with follow-up. Blacks when they have flooded into professions in the past dominated by whites changed those professions forever and for the better. These athletes can look to their own professions as examples.
You have to ask, why is the NFLPA afraid to call and finance a sit down, a summit of stakeholders, if you will, in a series of meetings, to vet and discuss “all real solutions,” including theirs when it comes to the killings of African American citizens?
Nothing, we do here will bring back, to many lives, gone to soon, taken by errant police officers and their proxies. That’s not within our power. Rather, it is for us, the living, to take care of the unfinished business of bringing these killings to an end. Dedicate yourselves to this task. Tweet the @ NFLPA with your own solutions. Let your voices be heard, now!
Staff Writer; James Davis
Mr. Davis is a leading expert and consultant in Financial Analysis and Social Dynamics. He is a graduate of Florida A. and M. University(FAMU), a former stockbroker, and a human rights activist who resides in Sanford, Florida. He was awarded the prestigious Governor Haydon Burns Scholarship to attend FAMU and while at FAMU was awarded the first Martin Luther King Scholarship. He is the author of three books, among them is “The Fix This Time,” Boost Your Retirement Income! Simultaneously Create Jobs and Spur Consumer Demand (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MI3PD2M).
He can be reached through his blog @, (http://www.thefixthistime.com).
