Smith, Carlos support Kaepernick

Tommie Smith and John Carlos voiced their support Wednesday for Colin Kaepernick and other athletes staging national-anthem protests, 48 years after the San Jose State athletes raised their gloved fists on the medals stand in a symbolic protest at the Olympics.

The U.S. sprinters who were sent home from the 1968 Mexico City Games for what they called a “human rights salute” say the 49ers’ quarterback and others are right to use their platform to raise awareness about racial inequality and police brutality.

Speaking at the Team USA Awards in Washington, the first U.S. Olympic Committee event to which they’ve been invited since their protest, Smith says he’s backing Kaepernick because his protest is proactive and Carlos says there’s no better platform than sports to stand up for something, even if it brings criticism.