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 ...
But he has no problem accepting the coin of the USA. What a freaking hypocrite!
Don’t suspend him. Just Boo him everfy time he appears. That’s worse.
It’s not about the money, it’s the oppression! s/
Says the multimillionaire! And it’s funny how he didn’t care about his black peeps when he was healthy. I guess he had a lot of time on his hands after his multiple surgeries to do some “thinking.”
Quit watching the games.. Don’t buy their stuff, don’t support the advertising
Screw them
Hey! This is America and you can say what you want, but you also take the consequences.
If I owned the 49ers, I’d cut him today.
This doesn’t affect me at all.
I haven’t watched an NFL game since Tom Landry was fired.
Put Jim on the bench for the rest of the season. All players can be replaced no matter how good they are.
Wonder what his parents are thinking? Perhaps they are part of his problem by spoiling the jerk to death!
Except he is not an individual, he is a representative of the 49's. So, are we to take away this is the opinion of the 49's franchise?
Just another reason to continue the boycott on the national felon league.
He’s black so tell us how he’s being held down by da man. Look around at his team mates and tell us how many are black. Nice paychecks for being oppressed. Please, oppress me! Time for the Niners to find another quarterback no matter how good they may think he is.
People will still watch and go to his games. What do the owners care??
Hear, hear!
That did it for me too.Screw them ever since.
“If I owned the 49ers, I’d cut him today.”
So would I.
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