In kneeling during The Star-Spangled Banner before the U.S. womens national team friendly versus Thailand on Thursday, Megan Rapinoe became the first athlete to continue Colin Kaepernicks protest while wearing a national team uniform.Before Thursdays match, Rapinoe said she was undecided about kneeling because the act so far hasnt prompted conversation about racial injustice as hoped. So, Rapinoe could have retreated into her own privilege, explaining away a decision not to kneel with some words about patriotism and not achieving her original goal. She would have saved herself from the deluge of condemnations sure to come. Not kneeling certainly would have been the safer option.Instead, she chose solidarity over safety and took a knee.The pushback to Kaepernick, Rapinoe and the other players kneeling during the national anthem has been fraught with cries of how divisive the protest is, with disagreements about the method and timing, and with calls to place individual beliefs aside. All of those complaints have to do with the method of the protest instead of what really matters: the fact that racial inequality is rampant in this country.In Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday (where the U.S. women played their match), 13-year-old Tyre King was shot and killed by police. His death is still under investigation, and we dont know all the details, but his name will forever be mentioned with Michael Brown, John Crawford III, Eric Garner, Rekia Boyd, Laquan McDonald, Walter Scott, Natasha McKenna, Janisha Fonville, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice and so many more as black people who have died at the hands of the police in recent years.This is what Kaepernick and Rapinoe are fighting against. This is about lives and about emphatically stating that black lives are worth just as much white ones. Instead of criticizing Rapinoe for exercising her right to protest, perhaps we should ask this question: Why she is the only white professional athlete to kneel so far? Because the silence from white athletes is deafening.The Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs players locking arms in unity is the closest a white NFL player has come to joining the protests. But there is no risk or objection in linking arms -- fundamentally, there is no protest, and that is the point. Its a cop-out.Each time a player of color takes a knee or raises a fist, they put themselves and their livelihoods at risk. Brandon Marshall, a linebacker with the Denver Broncos, lost two endorsements following his kneel before the season opener at Mile High Stadium. Hiding behind linked arms and team statements shields players from backlash -- but also from taking a stance.Compare the linked arms to the actions taken by white members of the WNBA following shootings in Dallas in July. Alongside her Lynx teammates, Lindsay Whalen wore a T-shirt supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and Dallas Police; Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart showed solidarity by also wearing black T-shirts. These players openly raised awareness of police brutality against the black community, much like Rapinoe is doing for Kaepernick now, in the absence of support from his own teammates.The fact that the examples of support come from women point to the fact that this conversation is rooted in an understanding of marginalization in this country. Many women have experienced discrimination. For Rapinoe, as a member of the LGBT community, its magnified. Anyone who is not a white, cisgender, heterosexual, Christian, able-bodied man has had to fight for their rights and dignity in this country.These are hard, uncomfortable conversations. Thats why so many are deflecting the issue at hand in their criticism of the protests. Rapinoe will probably be painted as ungrateful, because playing for the national team is a privilege and an honor, as U.S. Soccer said in a statement afterwards. For Rapinoe, however, its clear that privilege can and should be risked -- and possibly sacrificed -- for a cause greater than herself.Rapinoes choice was one of selflessness, though critics will say she put herself before the team. That is a false dichotomy. The issue of equality and the value placed (or not placed) on the lives of black and brown people transcends sport. And if she is punished for this action, she may well have placed those lives above her own livelihood.That is the very definition of sacrifice. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Shoes Black Friday Deals 2020 . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/ . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Discount Shoes Black Friday . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Shoes Black Friday . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. Australias brightest boxing talent, Jeff Horn, hopes hes done enough to impress legendary promoter Bob Arum after a crushing win over South African veteran Ali Funeka in Auckland.The sixth-round technical knockout victory on Saturday night - Horns 16th as a professional and by far the most significant of his career - is a huge step towards setting up a dream date with Manny Pacquiao in 2017.It means the 28-year-old former teacher from Brisbane is potentially just one fight away from a meeting with the legendary Filipino and WBO welterweight champion.Arum, Pacquiaos promoter, watched on from ringside at Vector Arena, with Horns fight the main support to Kiwi Joseph Parkers heavyweight world title clash against American-Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr.Im hoping he was impressed with it, said Horn, who retained the WBO intercontinental welterweight title and kept his undefeated record in tact.(Funeka) was an awkward fighter but I finished it in round six.I know the start was a bit slow but I was happy with the finish so he will be, surely.Its just smarter to work your way into a fight like that. I knew I was going to break him down over time, then step that up.Arum has signed a co-promotion deal with Horns promoters Duco Events and had floated his intention to bring him to the US early next year to face Jessie Vargas or Timothy Bradley, two other fighters in his Top Rank stable, if he was able to overcome Funeka.dddddddddddd.Horn believes hes ready to take on anyone in the world.Im happy to fight one of those big names next. Youve got to beat those type of guys to get noticed, especially in the U.S., he said.The experienced Funeka had a 10cm height and reach advantage but his lanky frame proved his undoing, with Horns full-on body assault paying rich dividends.Horn copped a few early jabs from Funeka but always looked to have the 38-year-olds measure, even after a head clash prompted the referee to controversially rule a knockdown in the dying seconds of the third round.In the next round, Horn opened up a gash above Funekas left eye and sensed his opportunity.He finished the job by sending a visibly tired Funeka crashing to the canvas with a sharp right hand - just the second time the South African had been stopped in his 21-year career.Once you see blood you have to go for it. Its like a shark in the water, he said. ' ' '