What Take A Knee Means Poem by Melody McKinstrie

We all saw the
Bushy haired
San Francisco
Forty Niner
With the name
Of Colin.
This Colin Kaepernick fellow
Was protesting
About racial injustice.

A peaceful protest
On his part
When the flag
And national anthem
Accorded allegiance.

He had input
From veterans.
They had the idea
To take a knee
Like they did
For their fallen brethren.

I would ask
All those who do not
See the injustice
To open their eyes
Open their minds
Open their hearts
To see the suffering
Caused by the police
Who have become
Judge, jury and executioner.
On American streets.

Police brutality
Police killing people
For minor offences
Why is that not being
Protested by everyone?
Oh is that because
One does not believe
That most of it
Is due to racism?

Do you want a list
Of the names?
Google them
Do some research!
Mappingpoliceviolence.org
Is a great resource.

What scares me the most
Is that most of the police
Face little or no
Consequences
For their actions.

The origin of
Black Lives Matter
is from this action.
It should not even
Be a thing
But in this day and age
We witness
Time and time again
That black folks
Are not given
Their due process
They are executed
By overzealous police.

Believe me I value
The police as
A great community resource
They are there
To serve and protect
Like it was once emblazoned
On car doors.
Or was that just
A make believe idea
Of Hollywood?

My grandfather was
A police officer
As well as my
Great uncle.
This was way back
A century ago.
But it fills me
With pride nonetheless
That they served
Their communities.
Who needed protection.

So while I see
The good of police
I see the bad too
Why must others
Not share my view?

I know my father
A veteran of WWII
Would have seen
That Colin Kaepernick
Had a right
To protest
As it is in the Constitution.

His taking a knee
A silent protest
Has frazzled more folks
Because of the arena.
An NFL game
That should be off limits?

It is not about disrespect!
Far from it!
It is about the promise
To everyone in this nation.
To the rights
Of liberty and justice!

For those who think
Otherwise
They are choosing
To remain
Willfully ignorant!
They are not seeing
The whole picture
But a sliver
Whose vision
Is obstructed
By right wing fanaticism
To a flag and anthem
But not the promise
They are supposed
To guarantee!