It takes guts to stand, or sit, for what you believe in! But who is surfing's most conscientious soul?
Football season kicks off in America today which means summer is officially over. Goodbye beached days and mai tai nights. So long lazy afternoons and slow mornings. Arrivederci sun tans and sun block.
Hello Colin Kaepernick!
And have you kept up on the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback? He has set the country on fire by refusing to stand for the national anthem! He says he will not stand until there is some improvement in race relations:
I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.
It sounds reasonable, no? Well, I was among the thugs in San Diego watching my most favorite Chargers a few days ago and the boos raining down upon Colin’s head were thunderous as he took his knee. He was called all sorts of nasty names with many “Fuck yous!” being thrown in for good measure.
Like it or not, approve or not, it takes guts to make a principled stand.
Which made me wonder… What was the biggest principled stand ever taken in our surf world?
Was it Bobby Martinez saying what he really thought about the professional surf tour?
Was it Mick Fanning refusing to refusing to speak with a certain surf reporter, before speaking to him, because he understood he worked for a magazine and that it had previously published articles which he believed were racist and anti-Semitic? By the way, he strongly objected to views, statements and comments of that nature…
Was it Dane Reynolds not surfing in contests and not making videos at the same exact time while getting paid lots of money?
Was it…
…Matt Warshaw? Are you there again? I need you!