Colin Kaepernick has come under fire after a tweet shared a clip from his new Netflix series, Colin In Black and White, in which he draws comparisons between the NFL and slavery.
The scene in question finds Kaepernick explaining the combine process, which introduces prospective players to NFL coaches through a series of exercises meant to simulate gameplay. As he speaks, the images in the background morph from a modern day football field to depictions of a slave auction.
“What they don’t want you to understand is what’s being established is a power dynamic,” Kaepernick narrates. “Before they put you on the field, teams poke, prod and examine you. Searching for any defect that might affect your performance. No boundary respected. No dignity left intact.”
The clip has been viewed 1.6 million times since being shared by conservative writer and influencer Matt Walsh.
The same video shared by The Post Millennial’s verified Twitter account has
garnered nearly 285,000 views since it was uploaded on Saturday afternoon and has been retweeted 1,500 times. Both posts have elicited similar reactions from Twitter users either admonishing Kaepernick for trivializing slavery or calling attention to NFL salaries.Still, some came to Kaepernick’s defense, pointing out that this is not the first time parallels have been drawn between professional sports and slavery.
Colin in Black and White is a fictionalized account of Kaepernick’s experiences as a student athlete and the experiences that lead him to a life of activism. All six episodes are currently streaming.