Obama said Monday that he had no doubt that the San Francisco 49ers quarterback is honest and “cares about some real, legitimate issues”.
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Apparently, O’Neal doesn’t realize that Kaepernick’s protest has nothing to do with, nor is a slight toward, those in the military, and that Kaepernick also has family who are in law enforcement. We’ve seen social activism in the National Basketball Association, so it would not surprise me to see some players joining in.
“So I applaud him for taking a stand and hopefully the conversation is about what his message was and not, ‘Is he going to stand or is he going to sit for the national anthem?'”. Kaepernick has continued to sit out the national anthem in subsequent games.
“I have seen that, and I haven’t”, Kaepernick said in reference to the Internet gossip. “So I feel strongly both ways”. “They’re just nervous about consequences that come along with it. And I don’t think anybody should be prosecuted or judged based on what their beliefs are”.
Kaepernick plans to continue the protest when the regular season starts next Monday against the Los Angeles Rams. But perhaps more tellingly, he claims he would have protested had the 49ers been scheduled to play this Sunday-the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
“Once again, this isn’t a protest against men and women in the military”.
“I have great respect for the religion, know a lot of people that are Muslim and are phenomenal people”, he said. And that’s really the problem.
As stories piled up about Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the playing of the national anthem before San Francisco 49ers’ preseason games, he was attacked by many for a lack of patriotism and for disrespect toward a nation in which he has thrived.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“I don’t necessarily agree with what he is doing”, Goodell said in an interview with the Associated Press on September 7. “I believe in the people, and WE can be the change!”
The 49ers’ backup quarterback denied multiple online reports on Wednesday that claimed he has converted to Islam. “The only way I can repay you for the support is to return the favor by donating all the proceeds I receive from my jersey sales back into the communities!” “I’ve been in this position before”.
“The impact is just conversations that we constantly have”, he said. Still, he said his focus remains on reclaiming the starting quarterback job that for now belongs to Blaine Gabbert.
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“I haven’t”, he said.
