When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first began his protest by sitting down during the national anthem at a preseason game — he has since chosen to kneel instead — he sparked a national conversation about civil rights issues and police brutality in the United States.
In the weeks since, many other athletes have joined Kaepernick in something of a protest movement. Now, the Super Bowl veteran’s “perilous fight” is being recognized by Time magazine, which features a kneeling Kaepernick on the front cover.
Time Magazine. 2016. ✊ pic.twitter.com/u9odWBN5bX
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) September 22, 2016
But while Kaepernick’s protest has brought about a tremendous amount of support, he’s also suffering significant blowback as many Americans are offended by Kaepernick’s stand.
In a recent poll conducted by E-Poll Marketing Research, 1,100 people were asked to answer questions regarding their least-favorite NFL player. Kaepernick was “disliked a lot” by 29 percent of those polled, more than any other player in the NFL.
Kaepernick says he has also received death threats since he began his protest.
“To me, if something like that were to happen, you’ve proved my point,” Kaepernick said. “It will be loud and clear for everyone why it happened, and that would move this movement forward at a greater speed than what it is even now.”
• Tommy Chalk can be reached at tchalk@washingtontimes.com.
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