On Thursday, Alvin Kamara, the Saints running back, took to Twitter to share his personal experiences in response to an incident he faced.
“I’m a 24-year-old black man from Atlanta,” Kamara revealed. “My mother is from Africa, and she was an undocumented immigrant for nearly 30 years until about 15 months ago. I have witnessed racism and endured social injustices firsthand. I have even faced deeper discrimination as my mother had a foreign accent. Despite having a valid license, I still feel the need to check my rearview mirror when a police car is behind me… because that’s what I’ve been taught to do.
“I have been in a situation where the police were called on me while I was at a bank, not because I was committing a crime but simply because of how I looked. The teller was the one who made the call. Once, I was asked to leave a fine dining establishment for wearing a hat, or what they deemed as ‘inappropriate’ attire. The real reason was that I was just ‘too black’ to dine there that day.
“I share all this to emphasize that unless you have experienced being black in America, you will never truly grasp the reality of it. Society judges black boys instantly, labeling them as a threat, even if they are just innocently walking home. Merely being a black man in the wrong neighborhood can lead to dire consequences.
“I have faced situations where my skin color alone was perceived as a deadly threat. And I know there are many others like me who can relate.
“I take a knee because I understand that this simple act carries a powerful message. It amplifies the voices of those who have been silenced.”
Jason Perron, however, took offense to Kamara’s words and advised him to return to Africa via a Facebook post.
Upon receiving backlash for his remark, Perron claimed that his autistic nephew was responsible for making the post.
