Colin Kaepernick spoke volumes without saying a word, without standing up – and that’s exactly the point. As he sat alone on the bench on Friday night, the rest of his teammates, the rest of the opposing Green Bay Packers and the vast majority of the crowd of many thousands of people at Levi’s Stadium rose to their feet, put their hands on their hearts and sang along to the national anthem.
This was no accident. The 49ers quarterback wasn’t too deeply engrossed in studying the playbook to realize the classic pregame ritual was going on to honor the United States. He sat not with indifference to his country, but instead with a determination to hold it accountable for what he believes it stands.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said after the game.
He made his message loud and clear, taking his stand in the ongoing debate in America over police brutality and racial inequality during a time when many athletes have chosen to stay silent on political and social issues.
“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.”
Kaepernick knew there were risks in making this decision. He was a star in his first few years as a starter for the 49ers and is signed to a large contract worth millions of dollars, in addition to his many endorsement deals.
Based on the amount of backlash he has received for his actions, the team could have chosen to cut him and his endorsers could have chosen to pull their sponsorships, costing him many millions of dollars. He knew all this but chose to ignore the risks and make a statement against something he feels needs to be addressed in our country right now.
If that’s not one of the most American things anyone could do, then what is? This country was founded on the principles of civil liberty and justice for all. Kaepernick has the right to sit for the national anthem and speak out against the police killings of unarmed black men across the country if he chooses to do so.
This was not a cowardly act aimed at slighting the American military, as many people believe. Kaepernick spoke about the United States armed forces after the game, clarifying that he supports the military wholeheartedly.
“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.”
This was a brave act by a prominent athlete, taking a risk for something he believes in. The NFL dominates live television ratings every week during the season and fills the sports news cycle all year long. It’s the most popular sports league in the world, offering its athletes an unthinkably large platform from which to be seen and heard around the globe.
Kaepernick is taking full advantage of that opportunity, speaking to the masses as a member of the African-American community. He said he will not try to recruit other players to join him in sitting for the national anthem this season, but if the movement does end up spreading throughout the NFL and perhaps other professional sports leagues, the Black Lives Matter movement would be elevated to an even higher level within the national discourse than it already is.
Kaepernick sat in utter solitude as the flag waved, but in doing so, he stood up in solidarity with many millions of Americans fighting for equality in an era of intense racial tension. He is trying to make the most of that Star-Spangled Banner, in hopes that we can all reap the benefits of the liberties afforded to our citizens. That’s an American if I’ve ever seen one.