Let us review the six most common (and inane) deflection and derailment tactics/arguments racists detractors use to shift attention away from the anti-Black racism that is at the root of the national anthem protests, to irrelevant, nonsensical, or otherwise illogical contentions.
DD Tactic No. 1
RED HERRING
Talk about issues like veterans, angels dancing on a pinhead, the Easter Bunny—basically, anything that has absolutely nothing to do with protesting the well documented, nearly four centuries and counting, history of systemic and institutional racism against Blacks in America.
DD Tactic No. 2
MONEY: THE INVISIBILITY SERUM
Talk about how much money professional athletes who protest the national anthem make—because racist pathology surrounding Black people has a deactivate mechanism when the athlete is rich or famous (ignore, i.e., Venus and Serena Williams’ treatment at Indian Wells or James Blake’s New York “tackle-by-cop” incident ); plus, rich athletes’ race is somehow invisible and everyone instantly recognizes them (not you Kam Chancellor tryna buy a gym, except…cops called), thereby precluding any possibility of racism. Finally, these people have obviously had money all of their lives, so….oh, and there is a hidden exception in the First Amendment for Rich Black People™.
DD Tactic No. 3
SILENCE IS TOO LOUD
Talk about the method of SILENT protest—people who are SILENT and sitting down, kneeling, or raising fists during the national anthem to protest “racism” (which everyone knows ended in the 60s) CANNOT be tolerated in a fasci…I mean FREE society!!! The nerve of some people. Where do they think they are? China????????!!!!!! North KOH-rea?????!!!!!!! Also, protest methods by slaves Black people must be White People Approved ™ prior to implementation. Everyone knows this ffs.
DD Tactic No. 4
IRONY IS MY MIDDLE NAME
Talk about how these people need to DO something constructive, other than, like, protesting during the national anthem. I mean, they started this whole racism thing anyway being born Black and all, and need to take responsibility for it and its effects. Also, these “symbolic gestures” don’t mean anything, unlike standing for the national anthem!!!! Oh….wait.
DD Tactic No. 5
UNGRATEFUL SONS-A-Bi#@%es
Talk about how ungrateful these protesters are and how they should be happy they live in ‘Murica. Look, it’s simple. Citizens of a country idealized for its constitutionally guaranteed rights should not actually exercise those rights, but should just be glad the rights even exist. Like when you inherit a car, you are not supposed to actually drive it, but just park it in the garage and be grateful you even have a car when women in Saudi Arabia can’t even drive!!!!!
DD Tactic No.6
KAEPERNICK SPIN ZONE
Talk about how Colin Rand Kaepernick is a Bad Bad Man™. Hyper analyze anything that can be spun into a negative story about Kaepernick in an attempt to demonize and discredit him. Ask random famous people, regardless of their profession or the reason for the interview, about Kaepernick and the protests. Ignore or downplay anything positive Kaepernick does because it MUST be shown that he should not be taken seriously or emulated or legitimized in ANY WAY because, well, what about the kids??????