Kaepernick will sit through anthem until there’s change
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Colin Kaepernick plans to sit through the national anthem for as long as he feels is appropriate and until he sees significant progress in America.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. >> Defiant, and determined to be a conduit for U.S. change, Colin Kaepernick plans to sit through the national anthem for as long as he feels is appropriate and until he sees significant progress in America — specifically when it comes to race relations.
He knows he could be cut by San Francisco for this stand. Criticized, ostracized, and he’ll go it all alone if need be.
The quarterback realizes he might be treated poorly in some road cities, and he’s ready for that, too, saying he’s not overly concerned about his safety, but “if something happens that’s only proving my point.”
“I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed,” Kaepernick said Sunday at his locker. “To me this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
Two days after he refused to stand for the “The Star Spangled Banner” before the 49ers’ preseason loss to the Packers, Kaepernick insists whatever the consequences, he will know “I did what’s right.” He said he hasn’t heard from the NFL or anyone else about his actions — and it won’t matter if he does.
“No one’s tried to quiet me and, to be honest, it’s not something I’m going to be quiet about,” he said. “I’m going to speak the truth when I’m asked about it. This isn’t for look. This isn’t for publicity or anything like that. This is for people that don’t have the voice. And this is for people that are being oppressed and need to have equal opportunities to be successful. To provide for families and not live in poor circumstances.”
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Letting his hair go au natural and sprinting between drills as usual, Kaepernick took the field Sunday with the 49ers as his stance drew chatter across NFL camps.
He explained his viewpoints to teammates in the morning, some agreeing with his message but not necessarily his method. Some said they know he has offended his countrymen, others didn’t even know what he had done.
“Every guy on this team is entitled to their opinion. We’re all grown men,” linebacker NaVorro Bowman said.
“I agree with what he did, but not in the way he did it,” wideout Torrey Smith said. “That’s not for me. He has that right. Soldiers have died for his right to do exactly what he did. … I know he’s taken a lot of heat for it. He understands that when you do something like that it does offend a lot of people.”
Both Bowman and Smith are African American.
Kaepernick criticized presidential candidates Donald Trump (“openly racist”) and Hillary Clinton;” called out police brutality against minorities; and pushed for accountability of public officials.
“You can become a cop in six months and don’t have to have the same amount of training as a cosmetologist,” Kaepernick said. “That’s insane. Someone that’s holding a curling iron has more education and more training than people that have a gun and are going out on the street to protect us.”
In college at Nevada, Kaepernick said, police were called one day “because we were the only black people in that neighborhood.” Officers entered without knocking and drew guns on him and his teammates and roommates as they were moving their belongings, he said.
He said his stand is not against men and women in the military fighting and losing their lives for Americans’ rights and freedoms.
Kaepernick, whose hair had been in cornrows during training camp, sat on the bench during Friday’s national anthem at Levi’s Stadium. Giants wideout Victor Cruz and Bills coach Rex Ryan said standing for the anthem shows respect.
“There’s a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality,” said Kaepernick, whose adoptive parents are Caucasian. “There’s people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable. People are being given paid leave for killing people. That’s not right. That’s not right by anyone’s standards.”
On Sunday, he stopped briefly on a side field to talk with Dr. Harry Edwards and they shared a quick embrace before the quarterback grabbed his helmet and took the field. Edwards is a sociologist and African-American activist who helped plan the “Olympic Project for Human Rights” before the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where U.S. sprinters and medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos bowed their heads through the anthem on the medal podium in their black power protest.
After swirling trade talks all offseason following Kaepernick’s three surgeries and sub-par 2015 season, he has done everything so far but play good football — and he doesn’t plan for this to be a distraction.
Coach Chip Kelly did not speak to the media Sunday. He said Saturday he still hasn’t decided on his starting quarterback in a competition between Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert, who took over the job from Kaepernick last November and has vowed to be the No. 1 again.
Kaepernick hasn’t stood for the anthem in any of the team’s three preseason games “and I don’t see it as going about it the wrong way.”
“That’s his right as a citizen,” Kelly said. “We recognize his right as an individual to choose to participate or not participate in the national anthem.”
Now, Kaepernick is prepared for whatever comes next.
“I think there’s a lot of consequences that come along with this. There’s a lot of people that don’t want to have this conversation,” he said. “They’re scared they might lose their job. Or they might not get the endorsements. They might not to be treated the same way. Those are things I’m prepared to handle. …
“At this point, I’ve been blessed to be able to get this far and have the privilege of being able to be in the NFL, making the kind of money I make and enjoy luxuries like that. I can’t look in the mirror and see people dying on the street that should have the same opportunities that I’ve had.”
76 responses to “Kaepernick will sit through anthem until there’s change”
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Cut the jerk from the team. That would be a “change.”
What a waste as a human being, given all the promise he showed. He can’t perform on the field so he has become a big DISTRACTION.
You can’t change or teach St*pid, what he sows he’ll reap.
Nah keep him on the team! I love the 49ers. hahaha
The man has the right to do what he did. However, he would have a lot more credibility if he took positive actions off the field. He plays a team sport and he took it upon himself to put the spotlight on himself during a team event (game), which in my opinion is a no-no. I can’t see how he can maintain the respect of any team he’s on with that attitude.
First, he does have the right to sit down. The US Constitution says he has the right to make a statement.
Second, he intended to do it in a controversial way. He knows some, even most, people would not like his gesture. But that is the best way to generate conversation. And the conversation has started.
Third, I suspect he’s not doing it just to get attention. He must believe in what he’s sitting for, knowing that it could cost him his career and millions of dollars.
He’s accomplished what he wanted to do. Bravo!
He can sit all he like. He going be sitting on the bench during the games anyway. He’s washed up already. He should call Johnny Manziel and join him looking for a team that would put up with these crybabies.
Not to worry. The 49ers defensive line members have all agreed this snot nosed little whiner needs some tough love. So after the ball is hiked to him, they will all hit the ground so the offense has free reign to take him out with some fair but tough tackles.
Total loser.
Love it or leave it you loser!
I find it ironic considering he grew up with the privileges of being white.
or in other words “Oreo’s.”
He is giving the 49ers a bad name. Dump him now.
To me this seems representative of the problem of being too wealthy and too young. Perhaps his motives are genuine, I don’t know. I do know that being an agent of change usually involves a degree of personal sacrifice also. I just had a rather ludicrous image of the Minutemen announcing to the British “We’re going to sit next to the North Bridge in Concord until there’s a change in your attitude.” The signers of the Declaration of 1776 all knew that if they lost the gamble, they might be hung for treason.I read this morning that J.K. Rowiling of Harry Potter fame is no longer on Forbes’ billionaire list because she’s given so much of her earnings to various charitable causes. Andrew Carnegie used a chunk of his fortune to build libraries across America. William Lloyd Garrison as well as Martin Luther King Jr. backed up their words with action that helped catalyze change. The list of people who have actually accomplished things goes on and on. Vary rarely has anyone brought about social change by saying “I’m going to hold my breath until I turn blue.”
Well thought out and well said. I don’t know for sure but there are probably only a handful of countries where he could get away with this behavior. Also, how does he measure change and what would prompt him to stand for the anthem again?
Agree with you and CEI. I could not have said it any better myself. The only thing I might add is that while he does have the right to sit, there were many brave men and women who fought and died for our right to be free and live by our constitution. How about some respect for THEM?
I think he’s ignoring the fact that more black people die at the hands of other black people than anyone else. Gang violence and blacks killing blacks happens daily in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Do Police treat black people differently? The answer is probably Yes but in cities such as these I think there may be good reason for Police to be worried for their own safety.
I’m not sure why you always ignore the terrible problem with white on white crime. Why is that?
I lived in the Bay area during the late eighties,and was a die hard fan with Bill Walsh,Russ Francis , Joe Montana and the whole 49ers franchise. Thos e were the days! That day has come to an end.
I will not watch any 49ers games if this guy remains on the team!! This guy is just DUMB as the Hollywood Celebrities….Shooting himself in the feet!So much for his fans. Can’t wait Kaepernut to move to Canada too. Aloha!
Regarding:
“At this point, I’ve been blessed to be able to get this far and have the privilege of being able to be in the NFL, making the kind of money I make and enjoy luxuries like that. I can’t look in the mirror and see people dying on the street that should have the same opportunities that I’ve had.”
He could donate a significant part of his salary to those “dying on the street”.
Yeah… but, he’d rather keep it all.
You always write before doing the slightest research. Do you know anything about his substantial philanthropy? Of course not.
You must be a Trump supporter?
I am and I’m proud of it, maybe Hawai’i lawmakers will learn something from him when he install term limits.
Author of this article is trying to make his actions sound heroic. They are not. They are disrespectful to our nation and to all those who fought and died for our freedom. Perhaps he should learn about the words to the anthem. How they commemorate a battle in which our continued freedom was at stake, and how the Americans won against great odds to continue as a nation. What a punk this guy is. And if he gets cut for not being good enough to stay in the NFL, he’ll live the rest of his life telling everyone that it was because of his stand against ” THE MAN”. Loser!
The 49’s really can’t do anything also the toothless NFL, but his endorsements are GONE!
Oh I got it now he’s oppressed because he lost his starting job as the 49ers quarterback to a white guy Blane Gabbard. Bwahaha!!! And his coach is too white for him!!!! Waaahh!!!
Good one.
yup colin sackorpick sucks bwahahahaha
Do not think he will need to sit very long as he is going to be cut. Maybe he did this in order to stop from being cut as he could claim
he was being cut because of his stupid protest. Kind of like blackmailing the organization from cutting him as he could claim
he was being discriminated against. Imagine that. Could he be that clever or what??
There’s no law saying you have to stand during the National Anthem. Look around the next time you are standing while the National Anthem is playing, people are talking and/or moving about, do you bring to their attention to “show respect?”
Kaepernick was correct in saying soldiers have died for his right to take his stand, or sit. He has the Constitutional right to do so, as everyone has the same right to voice agreement, or not. But, if he should be kicked from the team, banned from playing in any game, or silenced in any manner, then an example of a change he wants to see in the U.S. will have presented itself.
Actually, he’s wrong about soldiers. They would never voluntarily die for him.
Roger that!
They have. They won’t die for your stifling an American citizens freedom of speech.
If a soldier won’t fight for a citizen because they didn’t stand at attention for the national anthem, that’s not a good soldier.
The tricky thing about having freedom of speech is that you MUST allow citizens to protest, even say bad things about your own country. Freedom of speech is what makes America great. But you cannot outlaw burning the flag or sitting down during the anthem.
When people burn flags or sit down, forcing them to stop is a bad way to solve the situation. The better way is to have a thoughtful discussion, then fix whatever is wrong.
Colin Kaepernick feels he is being a good American; that is debatable. People who try to force him to stand are not honoring the Constitution. THEY should move to China, Russia, North Korea, or wherever people like Kaepernick can be put in prison. See how you like that.
I hope all his sponsors take a stand and dump him. I hope the NFL takes a stand and fires him. I will take a stand and not support the 49er franchise until he’s gone. The next stand Kapernick should join is the unemployment line.
And you not supporting them will hurt the franchise terribly.
He could sit in the locker room for the entire game if that’s how he feels about it…
Or outside in his expensive SUV/car.
He’s already considered what it’ll cost him to make his stand (sit, actually). “Punishing” him will not solve anything. People should not waste their time criticizing his statement. All this negative energy should be spent on the issue he wants to highlight.
Don’t waste your time piling on Kaepernick. Discuss the issue of equal rights for Blacks. Isn’t that a better use of your time?
Who’s Kaepernick? Never heard of him.
Ungrateful attitude because he hasn’t served in the US military. See if he can make that kind of salary in another country. Kick him to the curb.
Then STOMP HIS A-R-S-E!
????
Oops. Yup, for sure.
Oh my.
I’m not big on ooh rah flag-waving Nationalism myself. It starts with the fact that much of the misery the rest of the world suffers is because of us. Then we have 45% of working-class Americans live from pay-check to pay-check, while 20% of American children live in poverty, in a country with nearly 500 billionaires, more than double the next 2 countries combined. Flags, songs, symbols – are just that.
I agree completely.
Then move to a third world country and see if you can get welfare, food banks section 8 or soup kitchens. America don’t know how good the got it. He got millions, I don’t see him donating his money.
You should move to a country where people aren’t allowed to criticize the government. I’m talking about China, Russia, North Korea, etc. In those countries, a Kaepernick would be put in prison, maybe executed. Sounds good to you? Then MOVE THERE.
All the people who criticize this guy who sits down (he didn’t rape or rob a bank or steal millions in a Ponzi scheme) have not thought about what freedom of speech really means.
Let’s put Kaepernick aside for a minute, discuss the race situation. Isn’t that a better use of our time?
It isn’t just a song. It signifies why we are able to become celebrities and legends in our own minds, throw egotistical tantrums and act like this to prevent termination/retaliation.
It’s OUR National Anthem.
https://theintercept.com/2016/08/28/colin-kaepernick-is-righter-than-you-know-the-national-anthem-is-a-celebration-of-slavery/
The door is open so why stay in a place that you despise? Chickensh.t
Funny that he didn’t get this BLM urge till now, now that he’s past his prime and on the way out. Wonder how much Kaepernick donated from his previous high salaried days to his convictions, if any. Buh bye. We’ll never miss you.
Kaperdik is washed up as a qb never was an accurate passer going back to his days at Nevada. He never beat out warriors. Just go away Colin spend your millions on helping the poor rather than ganja
He’s a one man show because “this is for people that are being oppressed and need to have equal opportunities to be successful.” “To provide for families and not live in poor circumstances.” Hello, where has this guy been for all of the years of his life. This guy will be sitting for the rest of his life whenever the Stars Spangle Banner is played. He doesn’t realize that in America, every citizen do have the right to seek for their short and long term goals. It’s all about how you go about reaching that goal and as an example, Barrack Obama being elected as the president of the United States of America. Was he oppressed by this country? The African Americans that are not successful or are living in poor circumstances have chosen to be in that predicament. It’s their attitude about being black and this country owes them and when it’s not in their favor, their crutch is, I’m a minority and because of being black, they feel they are being oppressed by the government. What about their attitude about not obeying the commands of law enforcement officers and looting and destroying businesses and police vehicles that has nothing to do with blacks being shot by police officers. Kaepernick really needs counseling because he’s not looking at the big picture…the Black Americans are not all that perfect and he must learn the true meaning of how and why he feels that there’s no equal opportunities to be successful and why black families are still living in poor circumstances. Is it because of how this country is treating them or is it because they choses to become what they are.
Well said Kahuku 1, and Hawai’i educators say we don’t learn nothing in Kahuku. We have a life in Kahuku and it’s all about Ohana our belief in God and Football baby, RR4L!
Starting from the 2015 season, he gets paid from a $114 million 6 year contract which guarantees him $61 million over the contract period. What a waste, and the team management must be kicking themselves for offering this much. Whenever the 49’s play, I will be watching, because I want to see a linebacker take off this guy’s head. Maybe after his brains get rattled several times, he will stand with the rest of his team during the National Anthem.
What sour grapes cause he won’t be the starting quarterback. 49ers should have cut him a long time ago. He’ll never be an elite quarterback.
What a half baked jerkwad! He’s just a flat out stupid person. EXPECT unintended consequences and not good
ones either I can guarantee you that. My recommendation is to call Ryan Lochte and work out a major damage
control plan because you just screwed your career and everything you worked for.
Does he really think he makes a difference?
Sure wish Pat Tillman were alive. I”m sure he’d be able to “talk” some sense into this piece of trash.
this is still america where you are free to express your core beliefs. unless some liberal complains about some microagression and demands an ever increasing safety zone to protect their delicate intolerance of ideas that challenge their intellectual bankruptcy.
He’s just reserving his spot on the bench for during the game!
What’s the purpose of being a human being if people keep bringing their race into make a statement? Forget the color of your skin and conduct yourself by treating others with respect and decency. I’m an American. Born, raise, live and defend my country as an American. The color of my skin does not make me who I am. It’s my attitude, personality, and love of my fellowmen are the basic principles that allow others to treat me with respect or otherwise! Gee whiz, what a cop out when people forget we are all part of the human race!
Well said and mahalo for your service. I also serve in the Navy back in 1970 when they were hiding from the draft and I served with a lot of Black American, not African Americans and they were happy to serve. Today they are African Americans. They don’t like it here, maybe they can do better in their native country, AFRICA!
He’s not worth or good enough to keep anyway. He’s supposedly there to play football & upset team chemistry & he can find other means to get his points across.
I think he should be kept in the locker room or there abouts out of public view until after the National Anthem is done.
Seeing how the NFL is made up mostly of black players, maybe Kaepernick is thinking of setting a movement whereby all black players refuse to stand, etc.?? now that would be something to behold.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
It is so nice to see a millionaire sports figure disrespect the flag, country and all of us servicemen who fought for him to have the privilege to play professional sports on a world stage. The men and women who have died for him to have that privilege will not ever have his wealth or status but are fans of the game deserve so much better than to have this spoiled brat spit in their face. He should be cut and forgotten about.
Thank YOU for serving! And yes, this is also my feeling about the issue. He does have the right to sit during the anthem, but how did he get that right? People fought and died to uphold our freedoms. Rather than protesting this way, he should use his millions in earnings to HELP is fellow black Americans like maybe providing college scholarships or financially helping out inner city schools that are predominantly black. I wonder what kind of home he has or what kind of car he drives? Poor, oppressed soul!
Since he cannot get any attention on the field, he’s oped to get it off the field. He is all washed up and the team should just cut their losses and move on.
He has no trade value and no other team wants him.
Hopefully, no other players will do the same thing.
Could be an interesting season. Might have a new NFL record for the number of times a QB is sacked.
If he’s waiting for significant changes, he’s gonna be sitting down forever. Hopefully he will sit on the bench during games too. Sitting down for the National Anthem is not the right way to handle this. Despite our many flaws and failed policies, this is still the best country in the world. And hey – if you don’t like it, get out.
Is K. related to Lochte? Or maybe Mark Cuban? He’s going to keep sitting out the national anthem until there is no more social injustice? This guy’s a real BoZo. If social injustice is so bad here, why are millions of people trying to get into our country…illegally even? Dump dumbass K. Time to say Bye Bye SFO. Don’t be a wimp. This guy’s a disaster. If he was overseas and captured by ISIS. When his rescuers came and he saw the American flag, he would get on his knees and kiss it. Hypocrite.
this Kaepernick guy is so confused he does not even know what he is talking about, he said he want to stop the people of being oppress, and yet today he wears a shirt with a picture of Fidal Castro, who oppressed his people. this guy really has a mental disorder.
This is his way of making America great again.