Colin Kaepernick has garnered all the headlines for his decision to protest the national anthem, but David West says he’s been doing it for years.
The Golden State Warriors power forward told The Undefeated that he’s been protesting since his days with the New Orleans Hornets by standing last in line and two feet behind his teammates during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
For West — his stances are “a lot deeper” than Kaepernick’s — as he added that African-Americans are suffering from more than just police violence.
“What about education? What about infant mortality? How about how we die younger and our babies die sooner?” West told The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. “We die. (Black men) have the shortest life expectancy. C’mon, man. The health care system? There are so many (issues). …
“I can’t start talking about civic issues. I can’t start talking about civility and being a citizen if m—–f—— don’t even think I’m a human being. How can you talk about progress and how humans interrelate with one another when you don’t even recognize our humanity? We got to somehow get that straight first so we’re on the same playing field. And that’s how I feel. There is just a lot of stuff, man.”
West said he appreciates the role Kaepernick is playing, but believes this too shall pass if something stronger isn’t done.