o


As a white male, I have no idea how hard it is to be Black in our society. They (Black Americans) have to sift through issues with centuries of mistreatment (to put it mildly) from the national, state, and local authorities behind them. And while I believe that the COVID vaccinations are safe and are not a replay of the Tuskegee Syphilis "Study" between 1932 and 1972, I am not going to judge them for being apprehensive about it.

o

Certain communities in the US definitely have more reason to be distrustful of the US government than others. That doesn’t change the fact that not getting vaccinated damages those communities. However you shake it, guys like Leonard that are looked up to are doing their communities a disservice by being anti-vax. I can understand why someone is distrustful and yet still judge them for not doing the research. This is a global pandemic. The vaccine is not isolated to the US and being pushed by the government to only or primarily the AA community. It doesn’t take that long to figure out this is something you need to do. Especially when your community has been particularly hard hit. Native Americans have a hell of a lot or reasons to distrust the US government, but they have a relatively high vaccination rate. Leaders within their communities have pushed vaccinations. Leonard is a hell of a football player, but I can still judge him as a leader for the Colts and his community by his actions. Just as I judge Kirk Cousins for his. Both fall way short IMO - regardless of their skin color or their reasons.

Well, it is what it is. People throw the term around like Santa with candy in a parade, but you took offense when I did it. Such is life in 2021.

Exactly! That was my point, but there are people who take offense at the choice of words and miss the intent completely.

Indians were not given this treatment:
The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male[1][2][3] (informally referred to as the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment or Tuskegee Syphilis Study) was an ethically abusive study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[4][5] The purpose of this study was to observe the natural history of untreated syphilis. Although the African-American men who participated in the study were told that they were receiving free health care from the federal government of the United States, they were not.

Can't you see how this would seem like a similar thing to them?

With even a little research, no I can’t understand how Tuskegee looks similar. This is on a global scale and being given to people of all races - not just African Americans. I understand the general distrust with the government and it is unfortunately well earned. However, throwing up your hands and watching your community suffer is not the acceptable answer IMO. Leaders lead. It’s not that hard to understand.

Do you think what he is doing is smart? Do you think it is well informed? And most importantly, do you think it benefits his community? I’m sure Leonard believes he has reasons. Just as Cousins and Beasley do. That doesn’t change the way I will judge all three. They have either not researched it or they have researched it and came to the conclusion it is better to risk Covid. They do this as millionaires with large voices and plenty of access to information. And as guys that will have access to the absolute best health care available if they get sick and with little worry about major medical bills. I judge all three for the harm they are doing. You can give Leonard a pass if you want.

Go to South Dakota to the Rosebud and/or Wounded Knee reservations. They had their children taken from them and sent to boarding schools to be made civilized. They were exposed to all of the white European diseases, from plague to small pox. Forced onto small tracks of land, these tribes were forced to become welfare groups than the migratory species that they had become to overcome the temperature swings of the great plains.

If you havent been to a western reservation, stop typing

I have tried to practice empathy and understanding in how I judge others. That is all I am trying to do here by looking for a way for you guys to show empathy to Leonard. Maybe he has a reason that he sees as valid. Agree or disagree, whichever you choose. I choose to try to find out why.

While I am sympathetic to their plight, I do not see the correlation. What was done to them was horrible. However, Blacks were sold a free treatment, which was actually not treatment, but an experiment. They were turned into guinea pigs, for Christ's sake. The diseases Native Americans contracted were not transmitted with intent. Apples and oranges situations here.

I have no empathy towards Leonard in this regard. And I see no reason he needs it. His decision will likely cause him to suffer little more than judgement by some like me. Maybe he’ll get a lot of people angry if he misses a football game. I’ll save my empathy for the people who lack the resources of Leonard, Cousins, or Beasley who follow their lead and will actually suffer real world consequences.

The Colts are now at least 75% vaccinated - all NFL teams have hit that benchmark.

Nearly half the teams have achieved a 95% vaccination rate.


https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/stat...12651182612481

Like I understand that position, but I'm really glad it wasn't widespread when the polio and smallpox vaccines were around, and I'm really glad a bunch of kids don't have to suffer with it anymore.

Its not about whether the situations look similar, it about the govt performing an atrocious experiment on a specific group. One with a history of abuse. They have little trust in the govt. You could say they are getting the same vaccine, but they could say how do we know that for sure.

o


No really, you can trust me this time ...... I swear, I'm going to hold the ball in place for you.



https://media.tenor.com/images/281c1...a10e/tenor.gif

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I am sorry, but things have changed. The doctors and health professionals have no reason to lie. Covid is killing humans of all races, sexes, and beliefs. And now the childhood fatality rate is climbing at an increasing rate. 623,000 dead Americans, and climbing. More than all combat dead of WW 2 and WW1.

o


Things have changed. That doesn't necessarily alter the perception of the U.S. Government by Black Americans.

o

Really? Well, right now the only group of people who are getting hospitalizes and/ or DYING are UNVACCINATED.

Look at any infection graph and the number of infections started dropping at an increased rate when the vaccine was made available. Now, only those to stubborn or stupid will be hospitalized or die. Survival of the fittest, were intellect and reason give a group an advantage


Ron White: You cant fix stupid

Let’s be clear who the “they” is. Are you referring to the black community in general? Then yes, I agree and understand why some may be skeptical. However if you are referring to multi-million dollar professional athletes then no, I don’t get it - even if they are also part of the black community.

I’ll ask you the same questions I did Racehorse:

1) do you think it’s a smart decision?
2) do you think it’s an informed decision?
3) do you think it helps his community? (Either of them, but especially the black community)

The answers for me are all easily “no”. There is no excuse for that, IMO, for a guy with the resources available to Leonard. I personally see no way a person of Leonard’s means could research it and come to the conclusion it’s best for his community to not get vaccinated (or that everyone else should but not him). Hell of a player, just not the kind of man I’d call a leader. Maybe he doesn’t want to be one in the community and that’s fine. Michael Jordan prioritized money over his community. I’m sure he doesn’t worry about what people like me think about that. I’m sure Leonard won’t either. I just wonder how many Colts fans will defend his reasons if it costs the Colts games.

I’m in Florida right now. I am all too familiar with it. I’m not saying it’s right. But it’s a very different situation than the idiots running around who won’t get vaxed to own the libs.

I’m talking about the black community. I don’t know Leonard’s specific motivations.

It doesn’t matter what my answers are. I’m not black nor an athlete. Education doesn’t seem to protect people from the propaganda. This group of doctors part of the frontline they call themselves are anti vax.

The Falcons are the first team to reach a 100% vaccination rate. I thought Kansas City had the inside track - about a month ago, Andy Reid had commented that they were over 90% but they must have a few players that are firm no's.


https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/stat...90460692254722

https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/stat...90844559101962

He's the anti-dumbass Kirk Cousins.

Though the way Cousins was able to rob/fool teams for so much money over the years does make me take back the dumbass comment a bit.