How sad that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refuses to stand for the national anthem.
He has overlooked the fact that many of the oppressed black people and people of color that he refers to in taking his position chose to pull themselves out of oppression by changing their pity-pot attitudes by making productive, responsible choices in their lives.
Colin claims “this is bigger than football,” according to NFL Media.
Indeed it is.
Colin feels his negative actions are for more freedoms, entitlements and turning a blind eye to criminal acts, for the oppressed.
Colin’s efforts and messages should be directed to encourage families to change their attitudes and actions that are keeping them down.
It starts in the family. Oppression is not the fault of the police.
Colin could give up football and his big checks and become a volunteer advocate for the oppressed, of all colors, to change their attitudes and destructive actions.
He himself may save “bodies in the streets,” as he says, from their own actions.
Again, not entirely the fault of the police.
All lives matter. Personal choices matter.
The national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag reflect the freedoms we all enjoy, freedoms given to us from people of all color who sacrificed their lives.
Americans stand in appreciation of them all.
One freedom we all have is to leave America if it is too uncomfortable here.
Shirley Berg,
Sequim