As we discussed previously, Rihanna was offered the Halftime gig for next year’s Atlanta Super Bowl and she turned it down. Us Weekly had the exclusive and no one has denied anything, so I’m going with what Us Weekly wrote, which is that Rihanna turned it down because she believes in what Colin Kaepernick is doing, and she believes the NFL is a racist organization (which it is). After Rihanna turned them down, the NFL went to Maroon 5 and they jumped at the chance.
I questioned whether there would be any public move to question Adam Levine or any of the Maroon 5 guys about any of the issues facing the NFL these days, and whether we should *expect* white folks like Maroon 5 to speak to any of the racist issues. Well, someone else wondered too. Amy Schumer posted this on her Instagram:
Friday thought. I wonder why more white players aren’t kneeling. Once you witness the truly deep inequality and endless racism people of color face in our country, not to mention the police brutality and murders. Why not kneel next to your brothers? Otherwise how are you not complicit? I think it would be cool if @maroon5 backed out of super bowl like @badgalriri Did. I personally told my reps I wouldn’t do a Super Bowl commercial this year. I know it must sound like a privilege ass sacrifice but it’s all i got. Hitting the nfl with the advertisers is the only way to really hurt them. I know opposing the nfl is like opposing the nra. Very tough, but don’t you want to be proud of how you’re living? Stand up for your brothers and sisters of color. And the hottest thing a guy can do is get down on one knee. Not to propose but to reject the treatment of his teammates by this country. Anyone who says its disrespectful to our military please read up on the fact that a lot of veterans are proud of what @kaepernick7 is doing and fully support him. What are your thoughts?
That’s the question I have too: “Why not kneel next to your brothers? Otherwise how are you not complicit?” If it’s just Rihanna and Kaepernick and other black folks speaking up for freedom of speech and speaking against police violence, at what point do we expect something more from white people, especially white folks who could be and should be allies? I have no idea how Adam Levine feels about Colin Kaepernick or kneeling during the anthem or police violence against communities of color. But I do know that by not taking any kind of stance on those issues, he and Maroon 5 LOOK complicit in their silence. Also: there’s something else Amy could do and something else all of us could do too – we could boycott any product and company which does advertise during the Super Bowl.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I think she’s right…
Love love love “And the hottest thing a guy can do is get down on one knee. Not to propose but to reject the treatment of his teammates by this country.”
They won’t bail out cause they want the attention and the cash. Now, why not calling all the other artists that did it, including past years?
The NFL has been a no-go for me for a few years but this past year they REALLY upped the fascist ante. I’ll give a pass to past performers but not future.
I haven’t watched a NFL game since and I won’t until Colin K is hired back or win his lawsuit. And I haven’t watched the halftime show either . So that’s me doing my part. If more people didn’t go to the games or watch the game it would send a strong message and yes I am a black woman and this hits home for me
I think she is right about this – but the flip side is that maybe Maroon 5 supports the NFL’s actions 🙁
Adam whatshisface tried to win woke points earlier this year when he thought Childish Gambino hadn’t been nominated for a Grammy. That backfired. But here’s a chance for him to win actual woke points. Will he take it now?
No lie detected. And that goes for racial inequality in general- not just kneeling and the NFL. Because the stark and honest truth is that systemic and institutional racism can only be ended by those who benefit from it. Black people and POC can march, protest and boycott until we are blue in the fact but until white people do the same nothing will change. Racism could end tomorrow if there wasn’t such apathy and lack of empathy from the majority of white people. I mean, it’s 2018 and I am still debating with white folks about white privilege and systemic racism. Because despite 200 + years of evidence many still refuse to acknowledge ut.
She asked the same question I wanted to ask. Musicians boycotted Trump’s inaugural galas, when there was lots of money in the table. Why can’t they boycott the NFL owners? Come on Maroon 5, time to show who you are.
They ARE showing who they are.
For the same reasons why my white classmates didn’t stand up for me when confronted with racism. It makes them uncomfortable to come face to face with it and when they benefit from it.
Bingo! White people are allergic to being uncomfortable. Because the world it set up so they never have to be. That is the real reason why so many are upset about Kaepernick. How dare he make them THINK and be uncomfortable while they watch football? Who cares if POC spend the majority of OUR lives being uncomfortable in predominantly white spaces.
Wow. Abbess and Valiantly, you say the truth.
i remember thinking Colin’s attempt to bring nationwide attention and awareness to racial bias, injustice and police brutality pre NFL game time was brilliant. I thought what it would do is make all those claiming to be fans of teams and players (overwhelmingly black) open their eyes and feel empathy for the young men and women in the shadows being profiled and brutalized. If a player was saying, ‘Hey America, this is real, I know, because it’s happened to me too!’ I envision his hometown team fans would back him and want change.
I actually think Colin thought that as well.
Call us Alice in Wonderland. I guess it was a combination of residual white resentment of the class act, and best President ever Barack Obama, along with racists feeling emboldened by the racist in the White House – that made a lot of people knee-jerk attack Kap, and twist the issue into something unrelated (waaah, but the flag, the military, waaah).
To say I was shocked would be a lie, but I did think football fans, owners, team’s and hometowns, would support the black athletes crying out for help and empathy in the face of the onslaught.
I should have known better. Trayvon, Mike Brown, Eric Gardner, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice showed us what side many white folks come down on, and it’s not ours. Siding with pathological creepy little stalking fck Zimmerman, was our bellweather – the U.S. has lost its moral compass.
The world is set up so white people never have to be uncomfortable? You mean about their race, right?
I’m white and I am so disappointed in a lot of the white people I know for how they have responded to racism in the body politic over the past few years.
And I’m a woman and I am so disappointed in how a lot of “liberal” white women and men have responded to the crises confronting women in everything from the Kavanaugh hearings to abortion restrictions.
“I got mine so what’s the problem” is still very much the endpoint of American individualism.
I wondered that too, especially after news broke of why Rihanna turned it down. Now they look like giant assholes.
She’s right. I’ve always wondered why white players don’t kneel in solidarity. I would.
When it first started a lot of white players did kneel, others did the locking arms thing. I have no idea what occurs now. I seem to always miss the anthem or they don’t show it.
Chris Long, Howie Long’s son, who plays for the Philly Eagles and has two Superbowl rings, does.
I will love him forever for it too.
Who is even checking for Maroon 5? What is this, 2003?
I ask because I’m not a football fan — is it really true that not a single white player has kneeled yet? That is so sad.
There are white players kneeling, just not many.
Just because you run fast with a ball doesn’t make you evolved automatically.
Integrity is not a pre-requisite for fame.
Adam Levine tweeted about the travesty of Childish Gambino not being nominated for This is America (it was a mistake, CG had been nominated). So it’s not like he doesn’t know what’s up. It’ll be interesting to see what he does.
At the end of the day, the music, acting, and sports industries are just big spinning wheels with people running on them trying to get somewhere. Maroon 5 is trying to stay relevant because their music has sucked since 2005 (save Hands All Over which was okay at best).
I don’t think Maroon 5 or any artist is obligated to take a political stand, even if the right thing to do. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they were excited and didn’t think about the political ramifications or what is says about them? Now that they have been educated, hopefully they’ll kneel at the Super Bowl and take the cash (then donate it to an appropriate organization).
That’s a very privileged position to take. Not obligated? If your son or husband was at huge risk for being unjustly killed, would that still be your stance? We’re all obligated to do what we can — because children of color, men of color, sisters of color are being killed. We are all members of the human race and obligated to care for each other. We are all obligated to respond to injustice. If we choose to ignore that obligation, it’s due to privilege. But that doesn’t remove our responsibility. I know you followed up with what the band could do, which I appreciate, but the lives of people I love are on the line and it’s triggering to read the first part of your post. I hope and believe that if this were about other people in danger, I’d be just as concerned and asking for people to take a stand. Or in this case a knee. Thanks for listening.
Props to Schumer for urging white people to stand (and kneel) in solidarity with people of color in this country. I hope that those of us that want this country to free itself of racism will eventually triumph, but it will take many of us joining together to do it.
Obvious answer: Because they do not give a crap.
I REALLY wish Rihanna had accepted and done a big dramatic performance on one knee while wearing a Colin jersey. Then donated her pay to the ACLU or something.
I really wish Kaepernick would start to vote, and bring his followers with him to the voting booth. That’s the one thing I don’t admire.
Kap, is a young man, he was even younger when he started this journey. There’s been what? Two general elections he could partake in? His first election would have been Barack Obama’s. He’s shown he’s willing to change, adapt and listen – which is a part of maturation and growth. An example is the navy seal or marine who suggested kneeling vs sitting during the anthem out of respect. He did that. My guess is after two years of the racist in the WH using him as a whipping post to rile up his racist knuckledragging tikitorching sheep, Colin absolutely advocates voting for change and voting period.
Totally agree. He needs to use his platform to urge others to vote. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to make a change.
That would have been awesome too. Rihanna’s refusal to perform (and Pink’s too) sends the same message though.
CTE was enough to make me leave football behind. Kaepernick is the final nail in the coffin.
How about boycotting the super bowl completely? Do not watch. If your team is playing and you really wanna have a party and watch, then turn off the TV during ads and the half time show.
How would turning off the tv help? No one would know.
Boycotting advertisers/sponsors/products is one of the most powerful ways to be heard. Speak with your consumer dollars.
Because ad slots are valued per viewers. If ratings fall do you really think McDonald’s would be happy about investing millions of dollars, plus an intelligent ad idea, for nothing?