The thought of professional football players taking a knee during the pregame national anthem continues to be a hot-button subject, and players choosing to express their voice in this fashion are now receiving death threats because of it. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has handled the reaction to his national anthem protests as maturely as you can, even when he says he has been on the receiving end of death threats.
“If something like that were to happen, you’ve proved my point, ” Kaepernick said while reflecting on the threats he has received.
Kaepernick said he is not too concerned about the threats, and he did take that into consideration when he decided to make his voice heard by taking a knee during the national anthem.
Colin Kaepernick says he's received death threats for protesting national anthem. https://t.co/FEz2EunQDh pic.twitter.com/LOLUA5TKId
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 21, 2016
Kaepernick is not alone in receiving death threats over this movement, however.
Safety Michael Thomas of the Miami Dolphins has said he is also receiving similar vicious threats after taking a knee during the anthem prior to the first two games of the NFL season.
“I’ve definitely received something similar,” Thomas said. “Like I said, [racial oppression] is alive and well in this nation. A lot of people don’t understand where we’re coming from, but it’s our reality. That’s why we’re doing this to try to find solutions.”
Thomas, like Kaepernick, does not appear to be ready to back off his protests in light of recent threats. After all, giving in to this act of terrorism (and that’s exactly what it is), would be just what those who do not want to hear what Thomas and Kaepernick and others have to say about their social concerns in this nation.
“Regardless if it’s serious or not, no one has come to my doorstep yet with a gun. I know what I’m standing for is right. I believe that in my heart and I’m going to continue to do what I got to do to keep the conversation going.”
This is, to an extent, why they are protesting.
