Colin Kaepernick’s protests of police brutality against people of color have gained national attention since he was seen sitting for the National Anthem prior to the San Francisco 49ers August 26 preseason game.
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On the other hand, if Kaepernick stood – feeling forced to do so – even though he wanted to sit and protest the anthem, that could also be seen as an insult to the freedom of choice. The San Francisco police union has demanded the National Football League denounce Kaepernick’s “foolish statements”.
In another corner, some – including activists and National Basketball Association great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – have praised him for bringing awareness to a major issue.
Kaepernick has not apologized because his refusal to stand for the anthem was not inadvertent: It was a protest – an expression of his view that, as he put it, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color”. That could create for a very tense situation, as the Niners quarterback already has received intense criticism, partly from those who believe he’s disrespecting the flag and American service members who defend it.
The use of force by police against African-Americans in cities such as Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore and NY has sparked periodic and sometimes destructive protests in the past two years and sparked a movement called Black Lives Matter.
Some athletes revere the anthem, like US pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, who is also a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Reserve.
Love for America and the freedoms our soldiers died for is one thing, but condemning someone for expressing disagreement with the government goes against what American soldiers fight for.
Remember that many veterans have sadly been excluded from the respect that those who claim to be outraged are calling for.
After the game, Kaepernick was asked to explain why he was not standing during the anthem like his fellow teammates.
“We feel like the bulk of work for what he needs to do we’ve got a good understanding of where Blaine is”, Kelly said. “I think it’s a awful thing”, Donald Trump told KIRO radio in Seattle, “and you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him”.
Another tweeter listed where his military career had taken him: “West Point, Ranger School, Kosovo, Iraq, Bronze Star”.
Oluo starts by noting “there is nothing more American than protest”, citing the Montgomery bus boycotts, the Stonewall riots, and the Boston Tea Party as just a few famous examples that prove protest is built into America’s “history” and “mythology”. I’ve never had to deal with prejudice because of the color of my skin, and for me to say I can relate to what you’ve gone through is as ignorant as someone who’s never been in a combat zone telling me they understand what it’s like to go to war.
What they don’t mention is that Key, born into the founding culture that placed the value of slaves at three-fifths of free men, owned slaves and systematically fought the abolitionist cause. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody.
According to Fox5 San Diego, it will be the 28th year that the Chargers host their Salute to the Military Game, which is heavily attended by veterans and armed forces members.
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And as has come increasingly into the public spot light, many veterans are being left out in the cold as the Department of Veterans Affairs routinely fails to provide essential services – like physical and mental healthcare – to those who return home. “Like, one of the best”, he tweeted.
