NFL’s Kaepernick says he’s standing up for the oppressed by sitting during anthem

Colin Kaepernick did not stand during the national anthem Friday because he refused to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he told the NFL Network’s Steve Wyche after the game.

“To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way,” Kaepernick said. “There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been outspoken on his Twitter and Instagram account about racial issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement, over the last eight months. His most recent retweet on Friday was of a New York Daily News story about Arizona teens who were told to remove Black Lives Matter shirts. The movement began in 2013 to protest violence against black Americans, especially at the hands of law enforcement.

The 49ers issued a statement Friday acknowledging that Kaepernick was sitting during the singing of the national anthem. A photo of the scene can be found here.

“The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony,” it reads. “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 is biracial and was adopted and raised by white parents.

Kaepernick threw his first passes of 2016 in a game Friday, going 2-6 for 14 yards and looking like someone who was playing his first game in nearly 10 months. He was not in uniform for the 49ers’ first two preseason games and it’s believed that he didn’t stand for the national anthem in those games, either.

 

The reaction on social media to Kaepernick’s gesture has been mixed. Some have shrugged and noted it’s his right to express himself and take a stand against a matter. Others have recoiled at what they see as an insult to the nation, especially those who risked their lives for it.

Kaepernick told the NFL Network he knows that his actions will be scrutinized.

“I am not looking for approval,” he said. “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.”

During the 1990s, NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf gained notoriety for refusing to stand during the national anthem because he said it conflicted with his religious beliefs. The NBA suspended him for one game in 1996 for his refusal to stand.

Kaepernick requested the 49ers trade him in February and a month later was nearly dealt to the Broncos. Kaepernick, however, declined to take a sizable pay cut, and the deal fell through. He has been at odds with San Francisco’s front office since last season, prompting some to wonder whether the 49ers will cut him before the regular season begins.

He is guaranteed to earn $11.9 million this season, but if he were cut he would not receive another $2 million in roster bonuses. Chip Kelly was asked about the prospect of cutting Kaepernick last night before the quarterback’s anthem protest became public.

“We’ve never had a conversation about that,” Kelly said. “That’s never come up. There’s never been a conversation about cutting Colin Kaepernick.”

This story was originally published August 27, 2016 at 1:27 PM with the headline "NFL’s Kaepernick says he’s standing up for the oppressed by sitting during anthem."