Kaepernick definitely has been ostracised as the white owners all closed ranks and for fear of upsetting their fanbase. Just to add some balance though, he was an okay run first quarterback (they normally have fairly short lived careers). He probably could have carried on with a middling career (professional status wise, like a robbie savage or a john o shea). Maybe it was cause he was the BLM poster boy but there were a couple of other players who were cut and ostracised but are back in the game cause they were too talented (eric reid) Not saying that is right but i think it's slightly different to the athletes you mentioned as they were all the very best. post comment: i looked into a bit more and actually there were an awful lot of players who actually took the knee at one time or another. Maybe it's just cause kaepernicks a poster boy?
There’s a Sherlock Holmes museum in Baker Street in London. I was often stuck in traffic there in my van, watching the queues of Japanese tourists, and wondering if they knew he was a fictional character.
I didn’t know about that about Baydon-Powell, but half the hangers on to the British Royal family got a bit close to that nice Mr Hitler, before he embarrassed them by invading Poland, and they had to stop accepting his invites to social occasions. Ezra Pound was a supporter of Mussolini; the yanks jailed him for it after the war. Doesn’t change the fact he was one of the greatest poets of the 20th Century. Rudyard Kipling has some dodgy views on race; so did Joseph Conrad. Conrad was an outstanding writer, nothing changes that. Not sure if any of those writers still get taught in schools, but they all should be.
I absolutely loved Ali and as you say Clay, not sure how many others on here, would have known his birth name. I suppose it's being a kid, but I've never admired a boxer as much has him, he gave us what I feel were some of the best fights ever and was a pure entertainer, as you rightly point out rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way. It was hard to bear to watch his deterioration of health in later life, it's when memories collide with reality. It's great as children, not seeing the real world, full of it's hate and racism, afterall, as a kid who didn't want to be an Ali or Pele, afterall who didn't dream of playing like Brazil, with all their colour and vibrant energy. It's why I always say, racism isn't born, it's cultivated by adults. It's why I sometimes like listening to John Barnes, he was never a favourite of mine, but he talks a lot of sense, even if he does go on a bit. It's how he says about the banana skin, don't get offended by the object, get offended by the systemic racism behind it. Interesting when I think back that didn't Elvis also refuse to fight in a war, neither he or Ali, were born that far apart (state wise) and both experienced poverty. But only one of them was ever 'The Greatest' for me, the man that grew up in racial segregation and was once refused water because of the colour of his skin. Whereas Elvis only had to fight poverty, unlike Ali, it was sad to see the money destroy him (Elvis).
Lenny Henry did a sketch "whitened up" as Steve Martin... He also made a film (Disney?) doing the same.
The worst thing that ever happened to Ali, was discovering he could take a punch. If you watch his early fights, like the first Sonny Liston one, nobody could lay a glove on him. Fast forward to the Rumble in the Jungle, when he leant on the ropes and took everything Foreman threw at him, that was a tragedy for Ali really. He should have retired after that fight; You can’t take that sort of punishment, from fighters like Foreman, Frasier, Joe Norton, then walk away from the game unscathed. Still, you can’t accuse him of ever ducking anyone.
Elvis in fact benefited from racism I'm not saying he was racist himself but some say he stole from black artists some say he was inspired but he definitely took music that was created by black people to the mainstream and was credited for inventing it. In a time where black people would not get radio play like a white artist would
Elvis was also a bit of a wrong'un reference a teenage girl which doesn't seem to get a mention often.
good guess your spot on. I respect that Eminem acknowledges that he has benefited from that also I dont know any other white artists who speaks on it
There is an interesting story about Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald. Apparently Ella was stopped from playing at some trendy club because she was black. Monroe told the owner that if he'd allow Ella to perform she would come every night and sit in the front row. The owner acquiesced and Marilyn attended every performance. Incredibly brave gesture from Monroe in an era where such a gesture would not have been universally popular.
Their mum is strangely quiet about the paternity of their brother, Edward... and their sister, Anti-virus...
