When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doubled down on his total disregard for player protest and specifically Black Lives in general, he was simply being who he is; a “good ole boy” who takes a great deal of pride in his role as a modern-day plantation overseer. Jones declared that anyone that does not come out for the anthem and stand will be cut. I hardly think that anyone was surprised.
The team’s African American QB from Louisiana and Mississippi, Dak Prescott, essentially agreed with his owner. The phrase many of us Black folks use to describe his behavior would be “cooning”. For those who don’t know, it is a phrase Black people use to describe other Black folks who are obsessed with staying in the good graces of whites.
This is the most troubling quote:
“I never protest during the anthem. I don’t think that is the time or venue to do that.”
Are you f$%%#@%* serious?
Is that all you got?
It’s a good thing that one cannot be sued for plagiarizing the thoughts of others because Dak would be in big legal trouble if it were possible. He may as well have said to Jerry Jones, “You tell em massa”.
The issue is not that he refuses to kneel during the anthem. I actually believe that form of protest has about exhausted its effectiveness. I have 4 basic issues with the position:
- Zero creativity: This is a classic case of someone simply repeating a narrative that they heard someone else say, without any critical independent thought of his own. If you are going to shovel BS, at least make sure it has a unique aroma;
- Pitifully elusive: Whenever someone says it’s not the right time or place for resistance to injustice, you can be sure that for that person, there is NEVER a right time or place;
- Stockholm Syndrome: is a condition that causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors, as a survival strategy during captivity. Dak’s position clearly sides with his oppressor….I mean boss.
- Illusion of separation: one gets the impression from this comment that Dak thinks he is above that which has stung Black America. It’s as if he feels his status would have saved him from the terrorist that went into a Black church in South Carolina and shot nine people to death simply because of the color of their skin.
I could go on and on about how problematic his position is on so many levels, but at the core is simply that the statement is not true. If it were, that would be tantamount to saying that all those prior, who used the athletic venue as a platform to advance the struggle for social justice to include Muhammed Ali, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, and yes, Colin Kaepernick, were all wrong. If that were true, there is no way that Dak would be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
The most hopeful thing to do is just assume that Dak is young and not fully conscious of how treasoness his position is to those whose lives are at risk every day. After all, even the great Jackie 
Robinson stained his reputation with public criticisms of both Paul Robeson and Ali. To his credit, before he died, he came to realize the error of his ways and by the late 1960’s was supportive of the many student-athlete protests around the country. Maybe Dak will develop in a similar way and let’s hope it’s sooner than later. Right now, he is clearly in a “sunken place”.
This weekend, White Supremacist will be descending on Washington, DC on the anniversary of them literally killing Heather Heyer. She was the social justice activist killed when she joined many others to confront the Nazis at the University of Virginia. She was not a celebrity or of great wealth. She, nevertheless, chose to risk her life and ultimately gave her life to stand up for what is right. Oh, and Heather Heyer was White. That is relevant because she could have chosen the path of many whites and simply ignore the reality of racism, since it does not have the immediate impact on her that it does on Black people. For that reason alone, she should always be remembered and revered.
Dak Prescott, on the other hand, does have celebrity and wealth. Oh, and he is Black…..whether he knows it or not. If Heyer saw the need to take a stand, what possible excuse could he have?
It is for these reasons, with this backdrop why Prescott’s pitiful declaration of where the struggle should not take place is so shameful.
Dak Prescott is the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, “America’s Team”. With that title comes the capacity to represent what America has been and is, or what America should be and can be. The choice is his but no choice is not an option. It’s the price of the party.
Just as frustrating about Prescott’s failure to take a stand is the fact that he is one of two players that could cross Jerry Jones’ line in the sand and not be cut (the other being Ezekiel Elliot). As much as Jones detests non-compliance, he loves to win even more. There is no way that he would cut either. There is precedence. Before the 1993 season, Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith held out fresh off the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl. Jones refused to budge……..until the Cowboys started the season 0-2. Emmitt was back for the 3rd game and the Boys would go on to repeat and win again after the 1995 season. If the “stars” take a stand, Jerry will stand down.
It’s fourth and goal in the red zone of America, Mr. Prescott. You do not get to sit this play out.
