Miami fans boo Colin Kaepernick as he praises Fidel Castro, Cuba’s education, love of Malcolm X despite human rights violations

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was greeted with a chorus of boos Sunday when he took the field at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Outrage has mounted after his season long National Anthem boycott has been joined by his Fidel Castro and Malcolm X t-shirt and positive comments about the deceased Cuban dictator.

photo/ donkeyhotey

“The fact he [Malcolm X] met with Fidel to me speaks to his open mind to be willing to hear different aspects of people’s views and ultimately being able to create his own views as far as the best way to approach different situations, different cultures.”

So when pressed about having an open mind about Fidel Castro and his oppression, the NFL player said “I’m not talking about Fidel Castro and his oppression,” Kaepernick said. “I’m talking about Malcolm X and what he’s done for people.”

“One thing Fidel Castro did do is they have the highest literacy rate because they invest more in their education system than they do in their prison system, which we do not do here even though we’re fully capable of doing that,” Kaepernick said.

After the game, responding to the angry fans: “What I said was I agree with the investment in education,” Kaepernick said. “I also agree with the investment in free universal health care, as well as the involvement in helping end apartheid in South Africa.”

“Trying to push the false narrative that I was a supporter of the oppressive things he [Castro] did is just not true,” Kaepernick said. “I said I support the investment in education, I never said I support the oppressive things he [Castro] did.”

GQ writer Jay Willis offered this liberal view of Kaepernick, who has “managed to do some good this year” by adding his politics to the NFL:

Mass incarceration and police violence perpetrated against people of color are horrific epidemics in the United States, and Kaepernick is right to ignore the mandatory “STICK TO SPORTS” idiots and use his platform to draw badly-needed attention to these subjects. However—and I’m just spitballing here—perhaps there are better ways to do so than touting Fidel Castro’s education policy, considering the litany of human rights violations that defined his regime. Any of the thoughtful, nuanced things you’ve already said on the subject, for example, would do just fine! Otherwise you come across as the guy from freshman year who performatively carries around a Che Guevara biography in public and doesn’t vote.

Defense of human rights appears to be absent from the playbook while perpetuating the love of socialism.