US Politics

I'd say that this is pretty significant, the man who will possibly be the next (and first black) airforce chief of staff has broken ranks.

It's amazing he's spoken out but he's definitely not going to be the Air Force CoS under Trump now. Which might be a good thing in general really, not being held up as some sort of proof that Trump isn't racist by appointing him.

Yeah. I get that. And there is one thing the NFL listens to and it's money.

But there is an enormous amount of cultural context that makes it hugely significant that is difficult to articulate. I'll need to ponder about how to do that well so I won't attempt that now, and certainly won't try on my phone.

If Kaepernick is no longer able to play at that level he should at the very least get a public apology and some form of financial compensation.

He'll get an apology, but that is unlikely to happen in the next 5 years. He's already settled a lawsuit against the NFL IIRC, that will be the only money he sees.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/05/us/black-lives-matter-dc-street-white-house-trnd/index.html

Mayor Muriel Bowser has officially deemed the section of 16th Street bearing the mural "Black Lives Matter Plaza," complete with a new street sign.

It's just paint, but still kinda wild how it will look when they show protests from the air.

Sad for Muriel Bowser that BLM have criticised her repeatedly in the past over her unwillingness to rein in the police in DC. A big public display after inaction doesn't look good, it just looks like someone running across the aisle to be on the "winning" side.

It is rather gloriously OTT, though.

"Or look at the term "Identity politics", which was coined back in the
70s (ffs) by activists wanting to establish a common language shared
by people with different experiences and is now used as an insult by
bigots, cunts and edgelords who feel that has been too successful."

But also that it is used as a propaganda/divide and rule tactic by the reactionary international; see how well Trump & Co. (Murdoch/Fox News, Mercer/Bannon, Cummings, etc) have taken this viewpoint and turned it into a political weapon to their advantage.
My point actually reinforces what you said.

And the Nike moneys. A team could make a big statement by signing him now.

It won't happen. He's not played a down in years and the market is awash with free agent QB talent.

Cam Newton, a former NFL MVP QB from the Panthers, is teamless now after being cut for contract reasons. Off the top of my head there may be only 2-3 teams with 2nd and 3rd string QB question marks. Pittsburgh, Detroit and San Diego. He could end up there as a back up.

If Cam Newton can't get a team then Kaepernick will not. It's very harsh but the NFL is not a league for sentimentality.

Genuine question, is Cam not teamless because of the contract shenanegans? (i.e. teams think he's not worth the risk)

More to do with him not being able to work out/be seen by team medical people.
From what I read he should find a team, might take a bit of time post first wave of the virus..
Theres a couple of players who are in the same position, who would normally be snapped up but are still sitting waiting..

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation

He was coming up to the end of his contract and the money to re-sign would have been huge and he has been injured a lot over the past couple of years. "Fragile" and "expensive" combined are not a good reputation. Also there has been a huge organisational change in Carolina so they are in rebuild mode; he simply doesn't fit into their plan. Plus Christian McCaffrey got all the money.

Anyway - I shall chevron myself to American Football thread >>>>>>>>>>>

Minneapolis is going to disband the whole Police department.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/07/minneapolis-city-council-defund-police-george-floyd

"pROtEstiNg iS a waStE oF TimE!"

It's time...

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Haven’t read up properly on this, but it might be a less wholesome move than with at it seems like at first glance. Could be (at least partly) a move to avoid having to pay out compensation for past abuse as well as cover up instances of corruption and mismanagement.

My interpretation was that all attempts at reform of the years have been squashed by the powerful corrupt police union, but happy to read any other sources you have with different view points.

And a great opportunity for Amazon or some other terrible Megacorp™️ to rise to the occasion and commercialise this for efficiency.

corrupt police union

That suggests that they are doing isn't exactly what they stand for.

This is arguing semantics, I realise,

Since those people never argue honestly, would not having any "identity politics" made any difference?

They could have then targeted by income class, if you are poor it is your fault and BUT IMMIGRANTS anyway.

Some people argue more focus should be on income inequality as they think identity politics is maybe overshadowing that, but not sure if focusing only on that would have made the above any more honest.

Very American that one of the few unions they have is fucked

Ah, you know what, when you mentioned contract stuff I got confused with (Antonio Brown?) and Oakland. I don't really follow AF much

Jeez I'd entirely forgotten this incident (from 2018)

https://features.propublica.org/weirton/police-shooting-lethal-force-cop-fired-west-virginia/

I'm not arguing for or against identity politics in any form, just that reactionary forces have become really adept at inverting left-wing paradigms and using them against progressive politics.