San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick intends to keep sitting during the American national anthem before NFL games.
“I’m going to continue to sit. I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed,” Kaepernick told media Sunday. “To me, this is something that has to change, and when there is significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
Kaepernick has refused to stand for the playing of the anthem throughout the preseason, but few noticed until Friday, when the quarterback was dressed in pads for the first time.
The 28-year-old expanded on his motivation for that refusal.
“There’s a lot of things that need to change. One specifically is police brutality,” said Kaepernick. “There’s people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable. Cops are getting paid leave for killing people. That’s not right. That’s not right by anyone’s standards.”
Many people in the military community were offended by Kaepernick’s actions, which he addressed Sunday as well.
“I have great respect for men and women who have fought for this country. I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country and they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice for everyone – and that’s not happening.
“I’ve seen videos. I’ve seen circumstances where men and women that have been in the military have come back and been treated unjustly by the country they fought for, and have been murdered by the country they fought for on our land. That’s not right.”
Kaepernick will presumably be in action again when the 49ers play their final preseason game Sept. 1 against the San Diego Chargers.
