Mike Ferris
Sports Editor
Colin Kaepernick has been in the headlines for what seems like every day for the last couple weeks, but for a different reason than was the case in 2012.
In 2012, the second-year man out of Nevada replaced Alex Smith in Week 10, when Smith went down with a concussion, from there, he took the NFL by storm.
Last week, it was announced that the quarterback, who was making headlines just two years ago, would play backup to career second-string quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
But Kaepernick hasn’t failed to stay out of the spotlight, in fact, ESPN continues to cover him more than Gabbert and arguably more than any other quarterback for that matter, but this time not for his play.
In the preseason, Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem, remaining seated and
eventually kneeling to protest what he called a protest against oppression and police brutality toward “people of color.”
Kaepernick has gotten a lot of flak for his actions, but has been embraced by strong support from others.
First, I will start by saying I personally would not sit or kneel for our country’s anthem, however, I do not condemn Kaepernick for his actions, in fact, I support him.
For one, people are saying that it is disrespectful to the military.
Military men and women fight everyday for our country, they fight so we, as Americans, can be free and have our liberties.
They fight so that Colin Kaepernick can do exactly what he is doing, exercising his First Amendment right to free speech.
That’s what makes our country so special, we have rights, we have freedoms, and our military fights for us so that we can exercise them and use them, and not be told how to live like some of the countries they fight against.
The military people don’t fight so that we have to stand for our anthem or have to do anything for that matter, they fight so that we can be the free country that we are and have our constitutional rights to act how we want.
The next point of criticism I’ve been hearing a lot is that if he doesn’t like our country to leave.
Again, Kaepernick’s point is not that he hates or dislikes America, his point is that he doesn’t agree with one aspect of it, and he’s trying to raise awareness of that one aspect.
It’s like going to Framingham State. We all have complaints. The Wi-Fi is bad, class signups are difficult, it’s a dry campus, just because we disagree with something that happens on this campus doesn’t mean we all have to leave or that we should all leave.
And finally, and most importantly, no one knows what is going on in Colin Kaepernick’s head or what he is thinking.
I stated earlier, this is not the way I would protest, however, I am not in Kaepernick’s shoes and I cannot and you cannot tell him what is right and what is wrong for him to do, that’s a personal decision.
If he feels this protest is what’s right, then that’s what is right.