(SP) – NFL kick returner and apparent years-long activist Ted Ginn spoke out today to question why Colin Kaepernick is being kept out of the league for kneeling for the national anthem last season when Ginn has been doing a similar protest for years and yet remains gainfully employed.
“You want to talk kneeling down?” said Ginn. “I’ve been doing it since I came into the league in 2007. Hell, I did it in college and high school, too. You think the unequal treatment for black people in this country only began in 2016? No way. I feel bad that Kaepernick can’t get work over something I started.”
Ginn also said he is somewhat miffed about why he has never gotten any attention for his protest.
“Look, I’m not trying to be famous,” he said. “My protest is not about me, but about bringing attention to how the police and the justice system handle people of color in this country. That said, Kaepernick is getting all the credit for being the face of this movement and no one mentions me. All they say about me is: ‘Okay, your team gets the ball on the 25 yard line. First down.’ I’m like: ‘What? That’s it? How about instead we start a dialogue about racial disparity in America?'”
Even after 10 years of protesting in games – unlike Kaepernick’s pregame protest – Ginn still found a new job with the New Orleans Saints this offseason. And he plans to continue his kneeling there.
“As long as there is injustice in this country, I will continue to kneel,” he said. “Especially when there is injustice in this country and the opposing kicker kicks it deep into the end zone and I don’t see much of a seam developing up the field.”
