San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick again did not stand when the national anthem was played before Thursday night’s preseason game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. “Men and women bleed for this”.
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Kaepernick’s teammate Eric Reid also took a knee during the anthem, and a Seahawks player refused to stand during another Thursday night game.
The executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, one of the largest police organizations in the country, blasted Kaepernick and the NFL for continually demeaning police officers.
“To me, this is bigger than football”, Kaepernick continued.
“I think it’s a bad thing and maybe he should find a country that works better for him”. Kaepernick reportedly wore the socks during several practice sessions during the off-season – weeks before his refusal to stand during the national anthem. “U-S-A!” after Powell concluded.
Aubrey Huff, the former Giants first baseman, took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with Kaepernick.
The quarterback started his first pre-season game of the season, as the 49ers won the game 31-21.
There were some supporters in the crowd though.
The game also coincided with the annual Salute the Military night, which saw 240 sailors, marines and soldiers present a United States flag, and a pre-game parachute jump by retired Navy SEALS. But wait! Kaepernick claims the socks are only meant to address bad cops.
“The media painted this as I’m anti-American”. “That’s not the case at all”. There’s things we can do to hold them more accountable. “I think he would be booed out or the owners would be forced to not accept someone like him”.
The Cowboys’ plan to use a helmet decal as a tribute to the five police officers killed in July’s sniper attack was denied by the National Football League, according to a published report. In tacit acknowledgment of this sentiment, Kaepernick said that while he plans to continue his protests as the regular season rumbles into gear, he also intends to donate $1 million “to different organizations to help these communities and help these people”.
“As much as I don’t agree with it, and as much as a lot of people don’t agree with it, that is his right”, said Army veteran Jeremiah Thompson.
“I’m gonna continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. I want to help make America better, and I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from”.
The complexity of the situation was not lost on those tailgating before Thursday’s game.
“He’s just speaking out [but] he used a platform that many Americans don’t agree with”, Smith said on Tuesday. “There are other ways for him to do it, so I have mixed emotion and mixed feelings about it”.
However, Kaepernick is doing more than merely kneeling on the ground for a couple minutes in protest. “We talked about issues that are taking place in this country and how to prompt change but I also reminded him the great freedoms and luxuries we have in America”. That’s not the case for all cops. According to USA Today, Kaepernick has reportedly worn the socks as early as August 10, but he had not been asked about them.
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The Cowboys wanted to honor the police officers killed in an attack in Dallas in July, but were denied by the NFL.
