A Morning Debate About Kaepernick, the NFL, Race and Politics — Before My First Cup of Coffee

It's possible, if you've been living under a rock, that you weren't aware of the controversy surrounding National Football League player Colin Kaepernick's silent protest of police brutality against black people by taking a knee during the national anthem. If so, that surely changed on Sunday when the controversy, and President Donald Trump's call for the NFL to fire protesters, became part of every game broadcast. Social media is flooded with views from all sides. I awoke to this Facebook post from my friend Staci Elder Hensley, a freelance writer and editor. We met 30 years ago when we worked together at my first newspaper job. She's a 55-year-old white woman who lives in Norman, Okla.To say that it was an invigorating start to this 53-year-old black woman's day would be an understatement. I'm publishing it with her permission because we both feel it's an example of an intelligent conversation between folks with opposing views on issues important to this country.Staci Elder Hensley:  Continue reading...