Of course all lives matter, and all of our playing squad matter equally. And if the squad wish to show their support for one or more players in a way that impacts no one else, then we should give them 100% of our support.
If we take Marcus Browne as an example. A young black man who has struggled to settle during his career but has found his "home" here at Oxford. He has played his best football for us, and despite not being "our player" he will be giving everything to get us promoted.
Or Malachi Napa, a young player who has struggled to make an impact in the game and suffered a horrible injury in onlybthe second game of the season. This could have finished his career, but he worked harder than ever to get back, build his fitness and be ready to make an impact if called upon. And all of this with a constant smile on his face.
Rob Hall has struggled to find the speed and style that made him a fans favourite only a couple of seasons ago. But no one can forget his goal at Swindon, or the one he scored against Sunderland in the cup this season. He went away to rebuild his career but has come back in great shape and has trained hard, knowing that he still might not play. He has given everything for the benefits of the club, regardless of whether he appears or not.
Dan Agyei has had a difficult year, the raw talent is there but he's struggled to adapt to the way KR wants him to play. But he's never given up, never stopped working or learning. He gives everything, and his goal against Shrewsbury alone is the difference betwen us being 3 games away from the Championship or already being on holiday.
Do we not owe it to these young men, our players, to say that we are with them and support them on and off the pitch? And we can simply do this by taking a knee a moment before kick off and saying that we, Oxford United, stand against racism, discrimination and hate. Is that really too much to ask?
