After losing Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, was starting to fade from the media. Over the past few weeks, Kaepernick has suddenly become relevant again because he has refused to stand during the national anthem. Every news station and ESPN headline are being plastered with his name. Is Kaepernick unAmerican or is he doing it for the publicity?
Colin Kaepernick told NFL Media that he refuses to stand for the national anthem because, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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." Many fans are taking this act of refusal as a sign of disrespect to veterans, those who serve and have served our country. “The media painted this as I’m anti-American, anti-men-and-women of the military and that’s not the case at all,’’ Kaepernick said. “I realize that men and women of the military go out and sacrifice their lives and put themselves in harm’s way for my freedom of speech and my freedoms in this country and my freedom to take a seat or take a knee so I have the utmost respect for them. I think what I did was taken out of context and spun a different way.’’ Kaepernick has vowed to donate the first $1 million he earned from his salary to community organizations that help people affected by the issues, such as racial inequality and police brutality, he is trying to spotlight with his continued protest.
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His protest is beginning to spread as his teammate, Eric Reid, joined him in kneeling at the annual Salute to the Military preseason game hosted by the Chargers. Kaepernick said kneeling rather than sitting was a gesture of respect for servicemen. As he dropped to his knee, the silent protest was met with scattered boos and angry shouts, while one sign in the crowd read: "You're an American. Act like one." Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane has also sat during the national anthem before his team's preseason game against the Raiders this past Thursday.
The generating negativity from the crowds at preseason games and even social media have many people questioning if the 49ers will keep Kaepernick around, but he is not as concerned. "I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right," he stated.
So is this all an act to become more relevant? By standing up for the oppressed? This has been an issue for quite a while now, so why is now the time Kaepernick decides to act? Only time will tell.
