Best quote so far about Kaepernick situation and not sure who it is from.

[63splitwindow]

" People who've disrespected and even threatened the POTUS for 8 years are demanding Kaepernick show America respect. "

[volstork]

1. Ohhhhhhh

>SNAP!<

[Lisa0825]

2. Nailed it!

[backscatter712]

3. Yep. The ones who didn't care that Trump asked foreign agents...

...to hack Hillary's emails...

are now upset because a football player refused to stand for Murica's special song.

[Missn-Hitch]

12. Hear, hear!

So many angles to attack or defend. The timing - indeed. It's really getting the orange fella society excited and making strange noises.
HM, Land Sailor, USN, 6 years. Cheers.

[backscatter712]

15. I'll argue that the ideals espoused by our flag and anthem...

...demand that we respect those that refuse to stand for the song when our nation isn't living up to its ideals.

We all know our nation has done things it shouldn't be proud of.

Besides, as I insinuated, when people get too upset over the special song, perhaps priorities are out of whack.

[niyad]

20. your first sentence says it all. it is amazing to me that, even on this board, we have

some who fail to understand that basic point.

[MADem]

25. I agree with that completely, but a person can hold two ideas in their head, after all.

One can think "Man, that is one dumb-ass way to express your displeasure, especially when it might be taken that you're trying to distract from the fact that as a player, you've been sucking lately" and at the same time think "Here, in America, we have the absolute right to peacefully protest, and this conduct is the ultimate definition of a peaceful protest."

I don't think he did HIMSELF any favors, but it's his right to do as he pleases.

His team doesn't take issue with it either--but then again, they're going to cut him soon, because he's not meeting expectations and is unlikely to improve.

[Egnever]

28. That of course assumes he gives a damn

Maybe he is using his last moments in the spotlight to highlight an issue that is important to him.


You don't really think he thought to himself hey let me sit through the national anthem it will make everyone love me do you?

[MADem]

31. Well, he's doing a very poor job of "spotlighting," sadly. All he's doing is bringing out the

racists and haters. They're making it all about his "white" (word used contextually) privilege, owing to his upbringing, and screeching about patriotic displays. No one's talking about gun violence. They're too busy focusing on minutia.

Since no one even noticed what he was doing until the third time he did it, he wasn't really "highlighting." He may have been introspecting, but who knows at this point, really?

In any event, it didn't have the results he hoped for. It did make people who didn't know him from a hole in the wall to suddenly notice that his struggling career is in a state of flux and for some to question his motives.


As for me, I don't know him, I don't know what is in his heart. All I know is that had I been advising him, I would have suggested another path.

[Gabi Hayes]

32. did you hear what he said about HRC?

she'd be in PRISON if she were a regular person. seriously, he said that.

what an idiot

course, he did say trump is a racist, so he's got that going for him

[Voltaire]

17. Heaven forbid he might be sincere in his protest!

Jesus, all this crap about his QB job being in jeopardy. When WOULD there be a proper time for him to PROTEST??? Protest is not designed to make people feel comfortable. He had a platform he had an issue and he used it. Simple as that. Freedom of speech means freedom of speech even when we don't agree. I'm a Navy Veteran myself and I cannot BELIEVE the reaction of folks who have all this stupid patriotic, nationalistic, jingoistic butt hurt.

[awoke_in_2003]

19. While I believe SF is going to cut him

(they would have already if not for the injury) I do not, for one second, believe he is doing this as some weird plot to help his future job prospects. If anything, it is harming them. He is doing what he believe, and it will cost him.

[MADem]

26. No one even noticed, apparently--for three games! So everyone was VERY comfortable!

He'd have been better off doing the "raised fist." I could see that being far more effective. People might have noticed his protest before his weak playing became more obvious.


If I see someone sitting during the anthem who is a member of a team, my assumption is that they have a bad knee, a turned ankle, or some other injury. My first thought is not that they're sitting down to make a political or social point.

They'd have to cross their arms, scowl, and stick out their lower lip like a pissed off Shirley Temple for me to think "Gee, that person is PROTESTING something."

His job IS in jeopardy, that's not "crap"--not because of this protest, but because he's been sucking as a player AND he isn't showing improvement AND he's costing his team too much for no return.

His team doesn't have "stupid patriotic, nationalistic, jingoistic butt hurt" -- they don't care what he does when the anthem is played, but they just don't want to waste money on a weak player.

Read:

http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-the-49ers-will-cut-colin-kaepernick-and-probably-should.html

[busterbrown]

4. Kaboom!!! However you spell it..n/t

[MADem]

5. His team isn't getting excited about it, why should anyone else?

They're not "disciplining" him or telling him what to do. It's a free country.

I'm afraid he's made this more about him than the issue he wants to highlight, though.

And from what I understand, he has not been playing well, so he may well be out the door before too much longer.

[yeoman6987]

6. I think he had a right to not stand but

Those that disagree and are burning his jersey, refusing to watch him play, and boycotting his sponsors have that right to. There are no wrongs here.

[MADem]

23. Burning his jersey? Good grief--that's taking it a bit far! Who gets that "invested?"

I'd say refusing to watch him play is a bit moot, since he's not playing much or well and will probably be cut. And boycotting sponsors? Takes way too much effort. Silly.

Completely within their "rights" to do so, but it's as pointless as his "protest." It's not putting the attention where it needs to be....fighting about standing for the anthem isn't going to stop kids from getting shot in the streets.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Just heard some comments on All In with Chris Hayes...

apparently, he didn't make a big thing of it. In fact, it was game three of the pre-season before anybody noticed. Then there was the typical internet buzz and some reporter asked Kaep about it. Then, he made the mistake of being honest.

I'm a fan of a rival team, so no fan of the guy as a player, but I have no problem with his position re the anthem or his explanation. Yes, his career might be in jeopardy because he's played poorly the past couple of seasons, but the team is a bit stuck because he won't be very tradeable, partly because of his rather large salary, which also would make it financially painful to just cut him.

As to the OP, yeah that quote says a lot. The hardest part about "freedom" is letting someone else have it.

[JonLP24]

11. San Francisco doesn't have good qbs

Which is why he'll stick around. Thad Lewis or the other guy isn't 2nd string and Blaine Gabbert was once the only player below Tebow in yards per pass attempt.

Kaepernick entered the preseason injured so he was in no position to compete for the job but I can sense Chip Kelly holding on as an insurance against Gabbert.

The knock on him is he doesn't often stay in the pocket delivering throws, ends up taking off. He is one of the fastest qbs in the league. If he can just use a run as a check down or buying time option he'll be alright.

[MADem]

24. If they just cut him quickly, they're only on the hook for his salary this year.

If they keep him, play him and he gets hurt, it gets expensive.

This sums up their situation nicely: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-the-49ers-will-cut-colin-kaepernick-and-probably-should.html

[Scruffy1]

9. Every time I hear about I think of my father and Juan carlos.

Back when I was young I remember sitting with my father watching the Olympics when Juan raised his arm. The old veteran of two wars Legion and VFW Commander stood up and saluted him.

[63splitwindow]

10. Your Dad had an uncommonly deep understanding of what it is to be an American!

[Missn-Hitch]

13. Cheers!

[calimary]

14. They're the same assholes who excoriated him in past years because he was observed

in one photo NOT wearing a flag pin on his lapel.

[trotsky]

16. I also love the one from Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian:

https://twitter.com/BettyBowers/status/769598578276835328

FUN FACT: Most people saying Colin Kaepernick is unpatriotic for criticizing America are wearing red ball caps that say America isn't great.

[niyad]

21. LOVE betty bowers

[niyad]

22. ughhh--just read some of the comments after--typical hate-filled reichwingers.

I do love that several pointed out that those red caps are made in china.

[Dawson Leery]

27. kick

[malaise]

18. Freaking perfect

[certainot]

29. perfect. they're also the same mutherfuckers who lied us into iraq

and want us to default on our debt while waving paper flags made in china and mexico.

[Gabi Hayes]

30. this crap makes me sick unto death, so I'll leave it at this:

you KNOW all the cretins who have their panties all abunch are STRIDENT
enemies of ''political correctness''

just ask one of these ignorant jagoffs what their position is on that, and you'll see they're all against it until THEIR OWN sacred oxen are being gored

what a bunch of assholes......