San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem last night before the 49ers preseason game with the Green Bay Packers.

Kaepernick cited the oppression of African-Americans and other minorities as the motive for his actions, in a story on nfl.com

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "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."

It is not the first time Kaepernick has done this in the preseason.

The 49ers issued a statement, saying they recognize an individual's right to participate, or not, in the pre game ceremony.

Kaepernick is not the first professional player to get embroiled in controversy over the Anthem.  You may remember former LSU basketball star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (nee Chris Jackson), who did the same thing while playing for the Denver Nuggets.  That didn't go over well, as he was suspended by the NBA for a period of time.

We'll see if the NFL has anything to say about this.

 

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