Kaepernick: Someone has to agitate
49ers QB appreciates support from Obama
Colin Kaepernick said he appreciated President Obama’s remarks Monday supporting the right of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback to refuse to stand for the national anthem as a means of protesting social injustices.
“He’s someone that also realizes there’s many issues that need to be addressed and need changing in this country,” Kaepernick said Wednesday after practice. “I think a lot of the initial shock of what the protest is about and the kind of significance of that was lost in the action, and the message wasn’t really addressed. I think that was great that he came out and supported the message, that we do need to make changes in these areas.”
In addition to saying Kaeper- nick was exercising his constitutional right by refusing to stand for the anthem, Obama added, “I don’t doubt his sincerity. I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about. If nothing else, he’s generated more conversation about issues that have to be talked about.”
Obama described Kaepernick’s decision to sit during the national anthem before games as “messy,” and Kaepernick said that’s an inevitable part of the process.
“People’s response to any protest, anything that they don’t agree with, you’re not going to get a pleasant response,” he said. “And most people don’t want to change. They’re comfortable and set in their ways. But in order to change you have to be able to agitate people at times. And I think that’s something very necessary for us to improve as a country.”
Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, is listed as the backup to Blaine Gabbert heading into the 49ers’ regular-season opener Monday at home against the Los Angeles Rams.