WCGSports: Time to praise Kaepernick and move on

sports football

I’ve seen the news on the continuation of police brutality primarily toward African American males throughout 2016. I truly want to commend San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for the stance that he has taken during the national anthem before each football game.

At first, I did not quite get the significance of it, but it was clear from the start. People are putting their hands up and are still getting killed. That’s not the country that we should be living in, period. He is kneeling in prayer for the lives lost during this terrible time. How long he will do it is a good question.

The attention started at a home preseason game in August when Kaepernick sat during the national anthem.

“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. “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.” (NFL.com)

Now, the media has taken Kaepernick’s actions way out of proportion by posting about every athlete who does something different during the national anthem, whether it be kneeling, raising a fist or locking arms. It is time to leave Kaepernick and the others alone, as President Barack Obama previously stated that Kaepernick is “exercising his constitutional right.”

Keep doing what you are doing, Kaepernick.