Howard University Reacts to Athlete’s Protest

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stirs controversy after refusing to stand for the National Anthem

WASHINGTON – In the wake of recent racial turmoil between police officers and African Americans, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided not to stand during the country’s national anthem which played before his game. The NFL superstar said he was protesting against the current state of African Americans in the United States. Kaepernick told NFL Media in a post game interview, “ 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 response was swift.  Following his peaceful protest, many Americans had negative responses that immediately flooded social media.

In response to Collin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand, the 49ers released a statement saying:

“The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.”

While Kaepernick received backlash from some critics, students at Howard University had a different perspective on his protest.

 https://soundcloud.com/imani-l-468859914/hu-student-perpective-sydny

https://soundcloud.com/imani-l-468859914/hu-student-perspective-bryce

Since the incident, other NFL players have since joined Kaepernick in taking a seat during the national anthem.  Still, the country remains divided on whether or not professional athletes should stage this type of First Amendment protest.