“To me this is something that has to change”.
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“That’s pretty extreme to me that’s pretty harsh you shouldn’t burn a jersey”, one man said.
The 49ers held a players-only meeting before practice in which the quarterback was invited to explain his views.
Many current and former had mixed feelings over Kaepernick’s protest. All preseason long he has chosen to sit during the anthem. “I believe that enough is enough”.
Kaepernick’s decision was rooted in the belief that he shouldn’t pay homage to a nation that continues to oppress people of color. So, I think if I had known that, my emotions would’ve been rolling – I think we would’ve had a problem on the sideline.
“I’ll continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed”, Kaepernick said. “So I get why people are mad”. That was his way of standing up for it.
“As if I needed another reason to love Colin Kaepernick”, one supporter tweeted. “Whether I agree with what he did or not, that’s not something I would do, but he did it”. Some said they know he has offended his countrymen.
“It’s hard for me, because my brother was a Marine, and he lost a lot of friends over there”, Boone told USA TODAY Sports. They fight for the people.
– Justin Pugh (@JustinPugh) August 27, 2016 It blows my mind how many people hate the country they live in. And that’s not happening.
Kaepernick insists his stand is not against men and women in the military fighting for Americans’ rights and freedoms.
San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly has not announced if Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert will be the team’s starting quarterback for the regular-season opener September 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The players interviewed Sunday characterized their meeting as productive. Criticized, ostracized – he’ll go it all alone if need be, and he’s not asking anyone to follow his lead. He said he has a platform to get his message across that others may lack. “I’m going to speak the truth when I’m asked about it”.
He knows he could be cut by San Francisco for this stand. Kaepernick, in turn, is not fearing a potential release over his activism.
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He spoke after the Vikings’ exhibition Sunday against the San Diego Chargers wearing a shirt bearing the name of Chris Kyle, the late Navy SEAL veteran portrayed in the movie American Sniper.
