Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem Protest Met with Backlash

NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, of the San Francisco 49ers, set off a firestorm over the weekend with his refusal to stand during the national anthem to protest what he says are injustices against African-Americans and other people of color in the United States.

“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 in an interview after the 49ers’ exhibition game with the Green Bay Packers. “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.”

Since his stance, or lack thereof, Kaepernick has suffered the wrath of patriotic America, who has voiced its disappointment with his actions on traditional and social media. Some “fans” have even posted videos of themselves burning Kaepernick’s jersey.

Within football circles, Kaepernick has received criticism from current and former players, and coaches alike, including his former head coach with the 49ers, Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach at the University of Michigan, who said “I acknowledge his right to do that. I don’t respect the motivation or the action” via Twitter.

The White House expressed its objections to Kaepernick’s actions. However, through a spokesman, said the view may not necessarily be shared by President Obama, who is yet to comment publically on Kaepernick.

Despite the backlash, Kaepernick has received public support from several current and former players, teammates, celebrities and the broader sports community, including billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, who voiced his support for Kaepernick in a series of tweets.

Also supportive of Kaepernick’s actions was NFL Hall-of-Famer and social activist Jim Brown, who in an interview with the NFL Total Access said while he agrees with Kaepernick’s action, he wouldn’t have necessarily did the same.

“I listened to him and he makes all the sense in the world. He’s within his rights and he’s telling the truth as he sees it,” Brown said. “I am with him 100 percent. … Now if you ask me ‘Would I do that?’ No I won’t, because I see it a little differently. I’m an American citizen, I pay my taxes, I want my equal rights but this is my country, and consequently I don’t want to open up for ISIS or anybody that will take away what we’ve already gained.”

Kaepernick joins a growing list of athletes who have recently made political stances on the sports field. Most recently, several WNBA players faced fines for wearing shirts embroiled with #BlackLivesMatter while warming up for a game to protest recent police shootings.

In 2014, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and other NBA players wore t-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe” in reference to the last words of Eric Garner, who died after being placed in a chokehold by a New York City police officer.

Several players on the then St. Louis Rams make headlines that same year by taking the field with the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” pose that was being popularized by protestors in Ferguson, Missouri.

The controversy over the national anthem “sit down” will likely continue in the near future as Kaepernick said in an interview with ESPN that he has no plans to stand for the national anthem until there’s “change.”

“I’ll continue to sit,” he said. “I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change.”