Last week, prior to the ' third , was spotted during the singing of the national anthem. A photo of Kaepernick seated on the bench behind his teammates grabbed hold of everyone in the world's attention, and Kaepernick's subsequent that he would not stand for the anthem until there's significant change in the way people of color are treated in America turned this into the biggest story of the NFL preseason. Even though it has only been a week, a whole lot has happened in that time. Here's a quick recap of where we stand: The photo (tweet) that started it all After the photo of Kaepernick seated during the anthem surfaced, he that his reasons for not standing were "bigger than football." "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppre ses black people and people of color," Kaepernick . "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." The NFL responded with a statement: "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem."This team formation for the
Cleveland Indians Custom Jersey National Anthem is not Jeff Fisher approved. Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) Players reacted, and so did everyone else NFL players spent the next few hours to Kaepernick's stand and the reasoning behind it. As our noted, much of the reaction was split along racial lines. Some players came out directly in opposition to Kaepernick's stance or demanded that he to protest than sitting during the anthem. Another group acknowledged that Kaepernick protested wasn't the point and that the conversation should instead be centered on the i sues he brought up. Kaepernick confirms he's taking a stand The next day, Kaepernick held an 18-minute Q&A se sion with reporters in which he stated that he until the treatment of people of color was meaningfully changed. "Yes. I'll continue to sit," Kaepernick said. "I'm going to stand with the people that are being oppre sed. To me this is something that has to change and when there's significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it's supposed to represent in this country-is representing the way that it's supposed to-I'll stand."A former teammate rips Kaepernick Kaepernick's former teammate, , took a defiant stance Kaepernick's decision. "That flag obviously gives (Kaepernick) the right to do whatever he wants. I understand it," Boone said. "At the same time, you should have some f------ respect for people who served, especially people that lost their life to protect our freedom. And I get that he can do whatever he wants. But there's
Omar Vizquel Jersey a time and a place. Show some respect, and that's just how I feel." Boone, like several others, apparently took Kaepernick's stance as an anti-military one, even though Kaepernick explicitly stated that was not the case. Some NFL players show support for Kaepernick rookie Myke Tavares for the anthem rather than sitting down in support of Kaepernick's stance. "He plans on standing
Cleveland Indians Hoodie for the national anthem," his agent Corey Williams said in a statement, per . "Myke does not want to be a distraction to the Philadelphia Eagles organization. Myke's goal is and will always be to make the Eagles 53-man roster and help the team win a ."Trump weighs in: He can leave he country Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was referred to as "openly racist" by Kaepernick in his Q&A, stated that Kaepernick can if he doesn't like it here. In an with KIRO-AM in Seattle: Dori: "Are you following 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the anthem? He had bad things to say about both you and Hillary." Trump: "I have followed it and I think it's personally not a good thing, I think it's a terrible thing. And maybe he should find a country that works better for him, let him try. It won't happen." Outraged fans speak out, burn jerseys Videos surfaced of 49ers fans Kaepernick's jersey.49ers Fan Shane White Fiery Response to for Refusing to Stand for National Anthem Tom Stokes (@SportsPlusShow) San Francisco police: Kap protest inappropriate There was another that was not quite safe for work. The San Francisco Police Officers A sociation, which has for its institutionalized racism (
Roberto Perez Jersey some of the things in text me sages and emails are truly abhorrent) to the NFL and Kaepernick in which it called him an embarra sment to the league. "While we certainly acknowledge Mr. Kaepernick's first amendment right to remain seated during the national anthem, as inappropriate as it may be, we will not stand by while he attacks police officers with statements such as 'People are on paid leave while people of color are killed,' " SFPOA President Martin Halloran wrote.Rodney Harrison questions Kap's race, apologizes Former NFL safety and current "Sunday Night Football" studio analyst Rodney Harrison didn't understand the i sues that Harrison and other black men face on a daily basis. "I tell you this, I'm a black man. And Colin Kaepernick -- he's not black," Harrison said on (h/t ). "He cannot understand what I face and what other young black men and black people face, or people of color face, on a every single (day) basis. When you walk in a grocery store, and you might have $2,000 or $3,000 in your pocket and you go up in to a Foot Locker and they're looking at you like you about to steal something. You know, I don't think he faces those type of things that we face on a daily basis."Harrison later .Boomer lowers the boom Former NFL quarterback and current CBS Sports studio analyst Boomer Esiason also Kaepernick an embarra sment. "I cannot say it in the strongest, most direct way, that it's an embarra sment and it's about as disrespectful as any athlete has ever been," Esiason said, per . "And I don't care what the cause is. The NFL football field is not a place for somebody to further their political ambitions. Can you imagine if a player went out on the field with a 'Make America Great Again' hat and let's vote for (Donald) Trump? It's the same thing."Veterans: Kap has right to expre s himself #VeteransForKaepernick becomes the on Twitter. Despite the fact that many of the people who opposed Kaepernick's stand couching their disapproval in the stance that Kaepernick was disrespecting the military, many veterans voiced their support for his actions by noting that freedom of expre sion is exactly the kind of thing they risk their lives to fight for. Here's a quick sample
Matt Belisle Jersey :This name didn't serve 24 yrs & deploy 4 times from family so that cowards could silence him. Tawanna B Smith, MPP (@TawannaBSmith) I don't agree with all of his points, but I'll fight to the death for his right to say it. Isaac wright (@I_Zac33) I served 25yrs in the AF to protect everyone's 1st Amend rights. I support you Nicole (
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