Posted on 08/27/2016 3:23:25 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is refusing to stand for the national anthem before games because he believes the United States oppresses African Americans and other minorities.
Kaepernick sat on the team's bench Friday night during the anthem before the Niners played host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game. He later explained his reasoning in an interview with NFL Media .
''I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,'' Kaepernick said. ''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.''
The 49ers issued a statement after Pro Football Talk initially reported on Kaepernick's stand, saying that Americans have the right to protest or support the anthem.
''The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pregame ceremony,'' the team said. ''It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.''
Kaepernick, who is biracial, was adopted and raised by white parents. He has been outspoken on his Twitter account on civil rights issues and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Kaepernick is not the first U.S.-based athlete to use the anthem for protest. In 1996, NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf refused to stand for the anthem, saying the United States had a history of tyranny and doing so would conflict with his Islamist beliefs.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I say we all chip in and buy him a one way ticket to the country of his choosing, since he hates this one so much.
In the NFL their are no Guaranteed contracts well bye
Some people think of sports as the “opiate of the people”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-IVDQF7WC4
NFL games are brutal to go to. The stands are filled with drunken scuzzballs. I stopped going years ago and would never go back.
Just sit down and play football a-hole
There is no Law Against Stupid.
Proof: Look at all the Democrats who aren’t in jail.
(Of course those in jail are 99% Democrats but that doesn’t prove anything except that you can be stupid and in jail. Or something like that.)
Burn his jersey in protest!!! And post it on FAKEBOOK and Twitter!!
Why do we even care what a crappy quarterback says or does? Did anyone ever ask Christian Ponder his opinion on anything?
Another reason to hate the 49ers...and the NFL.
BTW- Look for this to spread.
Half of him oppresses the other half and his white parents were just rasist slavers
Oh wait, this isn’t about obama is it...
Those folks got the blindside, didn’t they?
He can always quit football and put his money where his mouth is. Spend his own time and money to help those poor oppressed people.
They left out the part where he may be converting to Islam so he can marry his Arab girlfriend.
http://mtonews.com/mto-exclusive-nfl-star-colin-kaeperneck-coverts-islam-can-marry-arab-girlfriend/
He’s a douche.
Are there NO PATRIOTS in the ‘niners locker-room?
Blanket his ass!
As far as I know, there are no guaranteed contracts in the NFL. Cut his ass!!
My excellent response to this would get me a timeout (at least).
So he is also anti-semtic . . .
Typical communist Geroge Soro closed-minided a%^#*^e. And they call themselves "progressives" HA!
Gee, what a surprise - another celeb/athlete who says/does crap like this only AFTER they’ve got millions safely tucked away in the bank, never BEFORE.
Old Lady Russo should’ve kept her legs shut
Someone needs to tell this moron about Affirmative Action, EEO, and all the other advantages given to blacks.
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