He’ll sit again: 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, left, says he’ll continue to sit during the national anthem to protest social injustice.
QB tells team, media why he’ll continue to sit during anthem
In a fascinating scene in the 49ers’ locker room Sunday afternoon, a prominent NFL quarterback spoke with reporters for 18 minutes and discussed gun violence instead of game plans, racism instead of reading a defense.
Two days after he sparked a national conversation by declining to stand for the national anthem before a preseason game, Colin Kaepernick explained his controversial stand.
And Kaepernick, 28, who has often been brief with the media during his career, sounded as though he could have spent a few more hours talking.
This was a discussion he wanted to have.
Kaepernick has declined to stand during the national anthem during each of the 49ers’ preseason games, and he said he will continue to do so. Kaepernick has said he doesn’t want to “show pride” in a country that oppresses “people of color,” citing a spate of shootings of black people by white police officers.
“I’ll continue to sit,” Kaepernick said. “I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
At the moment, Kaepernick is sitting alone. On Saturday, the day after his decision created national headlines, no NFL player among about 1,000 in all sat during the national anthem during six preseason games. Why is he alone?
“I think there’s a lot of consequences that come along with
this,” Kaepernick said. “There’s a lot of people that don’t want to have this conversation. They’re scared they might lose their job. Or they might not get the endorsements. They might not be treated the same way. Those are things I’m prepared to handle. Things that other people might not be ready for.”
Indeed, Kaepernick said he’s not worried about possibly being released by the 49ers. (“If I do, I know I did what’s right. And I can live with that at the end of the day.”) And he said he’s not “too concerned” about his safety. (“If something happens, that’s only proving my point.”)
His decision, of course, has inspired plenty of criticism, particularly from those who view his stance as disrespecting the military. Kaepernick said he’s standing up for civil-rights issues that the military fights for citizens to have.
“I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country,” he said. “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. That’s not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody.”
Before he met with reporters, Kaepernick was among the players who spoke Sunday morning during a team meeting that addressed the firestorm his decision had created and the potential locker-room fallout.
Wide receiver Torrey Smith echoed many of his teammates when he said he doesn’t necessarily agree with the way in which Kaepernick is bringing attention to issues such as racial inequality. However, he admired Kaepernick’s strength, passion and conviction.
“Oftentimes people want athletes to take a stand,” Smith said. “But when they do, it’s like, ‘Hey, y’all, shut up. Sit down.’ He did something; unfortunately, it’s the national anthem. I understand that as well. … But it’s about the message he’s trying to send.”
Center Daniel Kilgore, who has family members in the military, said he was initially upset about Kaepernick’s decision. However, the meeting helped him understand Kaepernick’s rationale and see his perspective.
“When it came out, to be honest with you, I took offense to it,” Kilgore said. “But after Kap stated his case today and seeing where he’s coming from, I do stand with Kap when he says enough is enough against crime, violence, discrimination and racism. I believe enough is enough.”
However, Kilgore also made it clear that he’ll stand during the anthem, even as he stands with his teammate.
“I’m going to stand there every time,” Kilgore said. “I’m going to think about and honor those who are fighting and those who have fought: my family members, my friends. If Kap decides not to, that’s his decision.”
Kaepernick’s gesture, of course, is symbolic, but he said he has plans in the works to become involved in activist causes. He acknowledged the conversation has initially been more about him instead of the issues he wants to highlight.
“I do think that the talk has been more about me, more about I know a lot of people’s initial reactions thought it was bashing the military, which it wasn’t,” Kaepernick said. “That wasn’t my intention at all. I think now that we have those things cleared up, we can get to the root of what I was saying and really address those issues.
“… This stand wasn’t for me. This stand wasn’t because I feel like I’m being put down in any kind of way. This is because I’m seeing things happen to people that don’t have a voice, people that don’t have a platform to talk and have their voices heard, and effect change. So I’m in the position where I can do that, and I’m going to do that for people that can’t.”