Yep.

Seeing so many coming out of the woodwork to express such hateful feelings...can't help but make decent Americans a little sad. :(

Because he has black skin...of course. :ohdear:

I am sick of actors and pro athletes voicing their opinion on political and social matters. They need to focus on themselves and their jobs. Without the fans they are nothing and would be working in a carwash otherwise.

Ah hah, the race card is waved. Surprise, surprise.... End discussions and exchange of ideas and opinions...wave the old race card. Getting very old.

Back to Veterans. What have people done for Veterans' lately? My 224 613 Project to get practical materials for survivors/victims of crimes in or accessible through libraries of all kinds will help Veterans as I have tried to get practical mental health materials also into libraries or accessible through them. As well as highlighted in law enforcement web-sites. This is a 25.75 year Project at great personal and family cost but something I had to do because of my unique positions to various people and institutions.

Many celebrities including NFL players have helped me with this Project since 1992 or so in some form-- often very creative-- but the fans seldom have done much of anything that I know of anyway.

Looking at your library or sheriff's office web-site does not take much energy.

Nor does not standing for a National Anthem but that probably did more for some black Veterans who have various problems than the many people all over Facebook who are making all kinds of hateful suggestions about Colin Kaepernick a celebrity who is trying to draw attention to a societal problem that DOES include Veterans and has more meaning than waving a flag when it is convenient to do so.

Oh, please. This ingrate could have made this statement AT a U.S. government venue, like at the Congress or at the White House. Or, he could have done it at the biggest events affecting national government in months: the RNC and DNC Conventions in Cleveland or Philadelphia.

There was at least one flag burning at the Cleveland convention (cops had to say "Hey, Stupid.....you are on fire" when the moron failed to light the flag). Regardless of how ugly and poisonous such events are, it's still, fortunately, a citizen's right to protest.

But that ingrate FB player did not do it there, did he? NO. He did it at this game, without warning or statement at the time, so he could send the message to millions of young black people that they are "oppressed" and the average NFL player, making millions, is "oppressed", too.

The goal was to poison young people and to DIVIDE this society worse than it already is. THAT is not the kind of role model decent Americans want in front of their kids. They want role models like Aaron Rogers, not that ingrate!!

Which NFL Player Gives The Most To Charity? - Look to the Stars

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Actually all he did was not stand up for the National Anthem. He did explain why. And many black people already know that they have problems with some police departments. They do not need Colin Kaepernick to point that out to them. He did remind many people though that there are still problems relating to race in the US. You see them right here on this thread.

Kaepernick did nothing like burning a flag. He just did not stand up.

And I do not see his action as divisive. It is the racists that are making it look that way for some problem they have with a half African American quarterback standing up to show that there are still problems in the US that need to be addressed.

And where did he say he is "oppressed"?

So you think Trump should have kept his mouth shut on political matters...before becoming a candidate?

After all, he was nothing but a 'celebrity,' prior to that. :shrug:

I have to disagree.

This great country allows anyone to voice their political opinions...as it should be.

It is a great country with many Veterans who have served their country very well. I met a lot of them at the Veterans' Hospital I volunteered at in 1977-1978 in Reno, Nevada and still meet them around the Villages since 2005. They have all kinds of different opinions about all kinds of stuff.

He did not have the GUTS to go to the nearest person with a microphone and say what he was doing and why. He did it like a coward who wants his cake ($119 million salary over 6 years), and eat it, too (be in front of the cameras nationally for the next several hours).

And he DID "explain why" he did it, but not THERE. He did it afterward in the safety of his franchise and NFL handlers who would then pooh pooh his rotten attitude because he is their cash cow!

And since you mention it, "half African American" is half caucasian, and this ingrate was rescued from who knows what kind of life by caucasian adoptive parents.

I don't see him doing anything to raise awareness of ADOPTION of kids who truly are "oppressed", of any race!

And what has he done to his adoptive parents? They probably are in hiding, for fear of THEIR lives.

I really doubt that they are in hiding. The man has incredible talent at playing football and had a good chance with the right breaks of getting into the NFL no matter what parent raised him.

Why should he go to a microphone at a football stadium?

It amazes me the attacks on this man for his trying to help African Americans in troubling situation with the police which often includes those who are Veterans.

Of course racism still exists in America. But he could have picked a much better way to espouse his beliefs.

He could speak out against the individuals and groups that suppress his race, not against the country that provides such wonderful opportunity to those of all color who seek it.

I personally, have quit being so amazed.


While I don't agree with not standing for our flag and national anthem, I also realize that it is every American's right to not do so...for whatever reason they choose.


That's what makes this country so great. :thumbup:


And yes, that also applies to those who criticize him for it.


However, I'm also not really surprised at the number of posts/people that use dog-whistle racism/bigotry...to attack him for it. :(

He was naive about the way he did this. He should have the right though to not stand at a National Anthem and not have so much hate thrown at him. He probably did realize how ugly it would get.

There is a great deal of hate on the Internet.

I thought we had become better than the racism you see in the 1950s but it still seems very much alive.

It just seems more acceptable to express this racism.

I have a large number of African-American relatives since my late younger brother married a Jamaiican American about eight years ago. She was in the US Navy and supplied SEALS Teams with materials.

I do talk to them once in a while even though he passed in December 2014. The funeral in Pinellas Park, FL was interesting an unfortunately there were the whites with his wife and her son on one side of the aisle and the rest of the African-American family on the other side with some interracial couple over there as well.

My late younger brother's birthday was on Saturday, August 27, 2016 so it is a little raw for me especially with all the racism I am seeing on TOTV of late and hear every once in a while in the Villages.

Yeah, and there are also a great number of people on the internet who "hate" actions and demonstrated, spoken, rotten attitude, but not the person who is stupid and ungrateful.

Why and how is Colin Kaepernick ungrateful? His athletic talent put him on the football field not much of anything else except his family and friends. He does not owe anything to fans and their view of the world. And some of the fans will be going to these games hoping he gets hurt.

He does owe his teammates for their support but we will have to see how that plays out.

What talent?!?!?! 1st was ok, what were his stats last year? Thought so. Just another "high profile person of no relevance to most people" who wants to take a national stage and have everyone to look at him/her, i.e., Beyoncé, Kanye West, John Legend.....

Just more losers not helping their cause.

I am confused at what the complaint is here. He did not stand for the anthem at the first, second, or third game but it was not noticed until the third one. He did not go to the media to complain or to explain, the media went to him. He did not make a scene, he did not interfere with his teammates or attempt to shout down those who wanted to sing or stand. He did not wave a flag of a country that fought against the USA. He sat quietly.

Just for further understanding. The third stanza of the Star Spangled Banner celebrates the killing of escaped slaves by the US military in the war of 1812. While rarely sung, there it is. Slaves who escaped from their "owners" were recruited by the British to fight and promised their freedom in exchange for military service. Francis Key goes out of his way to cheer for those black men to be killed, but never mentions being thrilled at white British soldiers being killed in the war. It is Key's big ending to his poem By the way, the Brits were good to their promise. All escaped slaves were at the end of the war apparently given the option of Canada or the British islands in the Caribbean.

http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/...d-sailors-war/

This top ignited 100 posts.

Never heard of the guy.

Sometimes the "not so big names", try to get press time. It took three games before anyone noticed.

The sun still came up this morning.

Freedom of speech is what caused the immediate social media postings of what was called police brutality, but really was not, in Baltimore. The downtown area was looted, burned, and police officers injured attempting to give these thugs their right to free speech and protest. Repeat in Milwaukee recently. Ask the owners of all the businesses destroyed that freedom of speech/protest did not have a part in their demise. We need to protect the right to free speech/protest, but the lawless actions that are occurring frequently cannot be tolerated and must be prosecuted vigorously. Kapernick exercised his "USA" right to freedom of speech, but because of its poor delivery and the wrong venue, he has significantly diluted the message. If you want to exercise you freedom of speech right then you had better understand the potential consequences your actions may cause.

Of course Colin K has a right to have any opinion he wishes, and freedom of speech allows him the right to express his opinion. BUT, if he wishes to express his personal opinion, he should use his own venue, NOT that of the NFL.

The media want African-American celebrities to get involved and if you watched the Half-Time Show of the last NFL Superbowl so does the NFL and its owners.

Super Bowl 50 halftime show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Has anyone forgotten Beyonce and her salute to the Black Panthers in the 50th Super Bowl Halftime Show?

I have heard of this man because I went to the University of Nevada, Reno a long time before him though. Colin Kaepernick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And I am a fan of the 49ers. You will find that many people in the San Francisco Bay area think and act a lot differently from those in the Villages. Kaepernick anthem protest: What are you doing to help any cause?

50th Super Bowl Half-Time Show celebrated Black Pride!! The NFL seems a big supporter of the rights of minorities especially if they have huge pay checks.

dewilson58, several years ago this guy was a really wonderful player. He seems to be for the minute burning out. I will not try my case here anymore instead I defer to others who are more qualified to voice my feelings better than I can myself....The Mothers of our war heroes who spoke on the news stations this morning who are heartbroken by the loss of their children so a punk like this can act like a fool. The sun came out for us but there will be a cloud following this young man forever.

I personally feel he should take the same journey as those "hollywooders", tax evaders and journalists who say they will leave if Trump is elected and never come back. He has always been an overrated QB and San Fran should cut their losses and kick his "A_ _" to the curb.

Couldn't agree more. The fans spend their money to see the NFL talent, not to have to witness his beliefs.

49ers' Colin Kaepernick: 'I'll continue to sit' for national anthem

Looks like he plans to stay seated at the NFL games when the National Anthem plays.

Standing........

He's doing this for himself. Nothing else. He's a QB that got lucky and can no longer perform at the higher level. So sad he wants to blame others on his inabilities on others. He needs to retire and put his energy with helping others.

I wonder how this man feels about being used for someone trying to make points in an online argument?

All of the soldiers I have talked to fight for their fellow soldiers. The patriotic men at home might do a lot of flag waving but not the men who have actually suffered a great deal for their country. They still might but how they feel about things will be quite different.

Colin Kaepernick's actions might actually help some vets get better treatment especially those that are African-American. And how vets have been treated by bureaucrats leaves a lot to be desired and these bureaucrats are probably some of the biggest flag wavers.

Tal, it doesn't matter if this guy (Colin) is purple. Its his disrespect for the flag that I'm talking about. He is talking about Racial issues.

Hope they fire his a--

Once a Marine, always a Marine.

I would rather see 100 post on this guy standing, than someone sitting.

Semper Fi.

I served my country for over 30 years, and I have to say this...you have never laced up your combat boots and you have no right to speak for those of us who have.

I agree that his right to protest is protected by the constitution but let's not glorify the British.

I see the America haters are in TV.

If Kaepernick were a fellow soldier his comments would be different, if you were a fellow soldier your comments would be different. Since you're not a fellow soldier, don't talk for them or for me. The patriotic men at home and on this board that do the flag waving have earned the right to wave a flag, Kaepernick has not.

Colin Kaepernick signed a 6 year, $114,000,000 contract with the San Francisco 49ers, including a $12,328,766 signing bonus, $61,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $19,000,000. In 2016, Kaepernick will earn a base salary of $11,900,000, a roster bonus of $2,000,000 and a workout bonus of $400,000. Kaepernick has a cap hit of $15,890,753 while his dead money value is $19,697,260.

It's obvious Kaepernick has made millions looking at the contract's figures above, and many more millions than he deserved. He nothing but a mediocre quarterback that let Jacksonville's quarterback bust Blaine Gabbert beat him out. If Kaepernick were really sincere, he would resign and head straight to the ghettos and put his money where his mouth is.

I'm sure the Chiefs fans are a lot happier that Jim Harbaugh didn't like Alex Smith more than Colin Kaepernick. I think coach realized that after he had let Smith go, which might explain why he's gone back to coach college. This whole thing by Kaepernick is nothing but a publicity stunt trying to give new legs to a failing career, and all you defenders have fallen for this stunt.

Where does he disrespect the flag? He has said that he disrespects the government that allows certain things to happen.

I do not speak for Veterans but Kaepernick's action of staying seated will help a lot more Veterans than anyone on this board except for me and my 224 613 Project which has helped a lot of Veterans and is something I have been working on for 25.75 years at great personal cost. What kind of things have you done to help your fellow man and woman???

And the media contacted him about his not standing. Get your facts straight.

I love this country. I also value the US Constitution and its Bill of Rights especially the First Amendment.