As you have probably heard already, Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, chose not to stand during the national anthem before a preseason game this past weekend. Whether you agree with it or not, he had a right to do it and it has been made a much bigger deal than it needs to be. Kaepernick explained his reasoning behind his actions with this statement, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” The act has gotten some very mixed reactions that range from other athletes speaking out in support for Kaepernick to one 49ers fan burning Kaepernick’s jersey with the Star Spangled Banner playing in the background.
For Colin Kaepernick on a personal level, this was a horrible move. A quarterback that was once the next big thing after leading his team all the way to the Super Bowl with his lethal combination of running and passing out of the backfield has been fighting for his starting spot back this offseason. Blaine Gabbert has been giving Kaepernick a run for his money all summer and even Jeff Driskel has an outside chance to creep up in the depth chart. The 49er’s head coach, Chip Kelly, and front office have been relatively quiet through this all—only saying that they respect his right to not stand during the anthem. That being said, I don’t see this franchise putting up with this any longer. Kaepernick has said he will continue to sit through the anthem until there is change and he is only hurting himself. Yes, it’s important to stand up for what you believe in, but when your career is on the line it’s probably best to focus on staying out of this kind of spotlight.
He isn’t the first professional athlete to sit through the Star Spangled Banner, however. In 1996 NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf sat during the national anthem claiming, similar to Kaepernick, that the flag was a symbol of oppression and that the United States had a long history of tyranny. The NBA swiftly suspended Abdul-Rauf for the next game. When he came back he decided to stand with his head in his hands reciting Islamic prayers.
Much like the NBA, I do not see the NFL or the 49ers dealing with this any longer than they have to. In a time where there are serious problems in this country, Roger Goodell doesn’t want any part of it interfering with his league and with Kaepernick not being the star he once was or could have become, he won’t likely be given a slap on the wrist if the league choosing to take action on this.
