On Thursday, Major-General Qasem Soleimani, leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, was killed in an air strike ordered by President Trump. Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of U.S. forces.
The decision has divided Washington and the media, largely along party and ideological lines.
On Saturday, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sent out two not-so-cryptic tweets seemingly in response to the killing of Soleimani:
There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) January 4, 2020
America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad. America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) January 4, 2020
There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism. America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad. America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world.
While Kaepernick wasn’t ratioed, with his tweets garnering a combined 134,000 “likes” and 29,900 retweets as of publication, the former quarterback was still roundly mocked by many.
Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly spiked Kaepenick on Saturday, writing: “Because everything is racist. Everything. Even fighting back against terrorists who kill Americans. Nike, feeling proud?”
Because everything is racist. Everything. Even fighting back against terrorists who kill Americans. Nike, feeling proud? https://t.co/sfc1Yz3phY
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 4, 2020
Kelly’s tweet led to the following exchange with African American filmmaker Ava DuVernay:
No, I will not be shamed over calling out bullshit claims of racism – which undermine the legitimate claims. Killing a terrorist is not about skin color; it’s about protecting our country from a guy who murdered hundreds of Americans, period.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 5, 2020
If you think Soleimani was killed because of his skin color, you’re the one who needs to educate herself. Work on shaming someone else.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 5, 2020
DUVERNAY: Shame on you, Megyn.
KELLY: No, I will not be shamed over calling out bulls*** claims of racism – which undermine the legitimate claims. Killing a terrorist is not about skin color; it’s about protecting our country from a guy who murdered hundreds of Americans, period.
DUVERNAY: You should be ashamed. Educate yourself before you talk about racism and legitimate claims. You sound like what you are. Ignorant. Attention seeking. And desperate. That will be all.
KELLY: If you think Soleimani was killed because of his skin color, you’re the one who needs to educate herself. Work on shaming someone else.
DuVernay then shared that she had “muted” Megyn Kelly on Twitter. The exchange led to comments both in support of Kelly as well as DuVernay.
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) January 5, 2020
Following Kelly and DuVernay’s war of words, the former Fox News anchor sent another tweet pertaining to the killing of Soleimani:
From @WSJ:
Trump acted against a terrorist who killed hundreds of Americans.//Qasem Soleimani bestrode the Middle East spreading terror & death. Trump’s decision to order the general’s death …is belated justice for the hundreds of Americans whom Soleimani had a hand in killing.— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 5, 2020
From @WSJ : Trump acted against a terrorist who killed hundreds of Americans.//Qasem Soleimani bestrode the Middle East spreading terror & death. Trump’s decision to order the general’s death … is belated justice for the hundreds of Americans whom Soleimani had a hand in killing.
Kaepernick was last in the news in November when he ducked out of an NFL “private workout” just half an hour prior to it starting. Kaepernick allegedly moved the workout to a new location because the league informed him that he would not be allowed to bring in his own film crew.
Following the stunt, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith blasted Kaepernick, saying in part:
You see? You see? He don’t want to play; he wants to be a martyr. But guess what? It ain’t working this time.
Smith added: “He wanted to show up to a high school in Georgia, not an NFL facility, a high school, and then YouTube it live – like the average Joe out there gets to decide if he’s on an NFL roster. You don’t want to work; you just want to make noise, and you want to control the narrative. It’s over. Colin Kaepernick’s aspiration in the NFL for an NFL career, it’s over.”