Dear Colin Kaepernick,
You don’t have to stand at attention during the national anthem if you don’t want to. You live in a free country. Tens of thousands of Americans have died throughout our history in order to protect your right to protest in any way that you wish. Many people in this country such as yourself have a legitimate issue with recurrent prejudicial practices within our law enforcement system. A variety of means to address these concerns are readily available in a free society. You need to understand however that the symbolism of your recent gesture is grossly misguided.
I can assure you without hesitation that the United States of America is not your problem. In fact, this great nation is the fearless gatekeeper that keeps the real nasty guys in this evil world at bay while we all work out our petty differences. I would recommend that you go over to Syria for a few months and then see for yourself where you rank “unfair police practices” on your overall list of sociopolitical concerns.
You are a lucky man for many reasons tonight. You are lucky because you were born with raw athletic talent. You are lucky that you were born in the United States of America where you are allowed to profit wildly from that talent. But most importantly, you are lucky because our flag doesn’t give a damn about your antics this weekend. You can ignore that flag… you can turn your back on it… you can spit on it… and you can even burn that flag if you want to. The American flag and all of the amazing people that it represents will continue to protect you and your God-given right to express yourself in any way you see fit.
But please understand how you appear to the rest of us when you express this open resentment towards our flag. You look like a fish that resents water or a plant that resents sunlight. You appear too foolish to understand the very environment around you which has been keeping you safe and allowing you to flourish. The United States of America has been acting as your own personal diving cage in a world full of sharks. Some people might mistakenly think that it took courage to do what you did this weekend. The real courage was exhibited by brave Americans over the past 238 years who paved the way for you to be able to protest this weekend without fear of serious retribution. You were trashing our country while still hiding behind Lady Liberty’s skirt.
We need to have a serious discussion about race relations, gun violence, and prejudicial police practices in this country. However, you are no longer qualified to lead this discussion. You trashed the American flag. You trashed the very same flag which protects all of our personal freedoms… and we all have the God-given constitutionally-protected right going forward to ignore your stupid sorry ass.
Sincerely,
An American Citizen
Perfect!
If you don’t like it leave. No one is forcing you to stay. Now you just cost the 49ers a lot of fans because we will never watch another game. The game paying you big bucks that you do not deserve. Now leave my country , you do not deserve to be here.
Yes, there are many good Americans, including people of color that would help you pack!
So we are supposed to ignore American issues because other countries issues are greater???
No, I believe that we can address these serious sociopolitical issues directly just as I have tried to do repeatedly on this website without insulting people by trashing their country. The most effective way to get people to stop listening to your message is by immediately insulting them and making them mad. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us all years ago that if you really want to change the world, you have to stop making people angry and start making them think.
I agree with Colin. The flag is a sign of stealing land from native Americans and bringing blacks over to be slaves. I myself sometimes don’t want to salute a flag that is racist….
No Andrew, we are to put them into perspective. We are to work to resolve those issues in a responsible, intelligent manner. We are to be respectful to those who have protected our freedoms, and serve now to do so. We are to show a little class and respect when we stand before the nation in a professional capacity, such as an athlete on a pro ball team. We are to remember that while we have the freedom to protest the issues of this nation, we also have to accept the consequences that will follow. THAT, Andrew, is what we are to do.
You should be glad I am not your coach because if I were your coach your ass would be setting on the bench the rest of your career
You should be glad that you aren’t his coach either because he plays for the San Francisco Forty Niners and their CEO Jed York is a freaking idiot.
I think this was great and to the point. I served this country for all americans to live free. We should be proud of this country and show our respect. I think you have the freedom to leave anytime he wants to.
We should also have the freedom to peacefully protest. Right?
Dear Dr. Guyer,
I found what you said at the beginning of your statement was inspired and definitely in line with the ideals of our country… However when you said this…
“You trashed the American flag. You trashed the very same flag which protects all of our personal freedoms… and we all have the God-given constitutionally-protected right going forward to ignore your stupid sorry ass.”
I have an issue with… Our rights as citizens are not protected by a flag… Nor were they given to us by “God”… They were given to us and protected by the very same US Armed Forces you spoke so eloquently about earlier in your statement… I believe that it is this STRONG belief in symbols that helps divide us as a country… Whether they be political OR religious… Hence the reason our Founding Fathers wanted the separation of the two… Strong belief in symbols creates ideology, which leads to religion, which leads to fundamentalism, which leads to… Well we are seeing first hand where that leads to… So where I agree that Mr. Kaepernick probably didn’t go about his “protest” the right way… I’m glad we can agree that he has the right to do so… And if you choose to ignore him or his team, well that is your right too… Just my two cents…
Thanks for your time…
The way our constitution reads and the way I also believe this to be true is that no other human being gives us our rights. If rights can be given by to an individual then they can also be subsequently taken away. Our founders believed and I agree that our rights are inherent. They are with us when we are born. Our laws, our government, and even our very powerful military exist only to protect those rights but not to actually provide them. When I spoke of protection by a flag… I thought it was safe to assume that people would all understand that I was speaking metaphorically since of course a thin sheet of decorated cloth would offer very little real protection in this cold violent world. Thanks for logging on to my website and providing me with your input.
You may disagree with how he protested, but isn’t hypocritical to say he has that right to protest but then criticize him for choosing to peacefully protest? So many people are upset about his protest for various reasons but those who are upset rarely if ever seem to focus on his pain. You even state he has valid reasonings for protesting but he should’ve done it a different way. Where’s the freedom in that? Our flag represents the Republic and a significant portion of our republic is exhausted by issues of race, violence etc, yet when athletes voice their support or non-support in peaceful ways their bashed and fined by their organizations. Where’s the freedom in that? You stated other places are worse, I don’t want the USA to be complimented based on we could be worse. We’re supposed to strive for the best and when part of our Republic is isn’t at its best then protest should happen. This is how our Republic was founded, identifying injustices and taking radical steps to correct it. That’s what created the symbolism of the flag you feel has been disrespected. I know how upsetting what Kaepernick did was to those offended but I ask you and those offended what’s worse a peaceful protest that led to hurt feelings or a country still struggling with race?
Yes, it hurts to see someone not show reverence for the flag because so many lives have been lost to protect this nation. However, there have been countless lives lost during that 238 year span you speak of that fought and died for it but didn’t receive the same rights that other citizens were afforded. You quote Dr. MLK Jr., he also said “…justice is indivisible. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” And furthermore injustice is disrespectful to the flag the final part of the Pledge of Allegiance is “for liberty and justice for all”.
Brett you echo my sentiments. Not standing for the national anthem is not against the law. People tend to forget that in many other parts of the world exercising ones opinion can and has cost his or her life. I could not care less about whether or not someone stands or not. Kaepernick represents himself. I could go on. We have separation of church and state for a reason. Modern theocracies have not boded well. The United States has greater issues than whether or not a professional athlete stands for the national anthem.
Hello Mr. Guyer; I loved the letter you wrote to Kapernick It is exactly word for word what a lot of God fearing And America Loving people would say. Thank you for taking the time to express our feelings on this ungrateful person. Darlene Brown Idaho
This is exactly how I feel. I’ve never said he was Un-American nor have I ever said that he didn’t have the right to protest in this manner. In fact, I’ve never said his cause was invalid. Let’s be clear on that. I do take offense though with the symbol that he chose to attack. I take offense with his interpretation of what the flag represents. Too many people have stood under and for that flag for me to agree with his attack on that flag. The same flag that was handed to our family when my Grandfathers who bravely fought under it against Germany and Japan. The same flag that draped my Uncles casket as well. All so that a punk such as he could disrespect all they stood and fought for. Your intention was not to offend those people, but you did. Our feelings are just as valid and protected as yours. You may disagree if you want but know that my right and duty to protect that flag is as important to me as your cause. I won’t silently sit by and acquiesce to such stupidity, no matter how noble your intention may be. The truth is that you have done nothing to actually solve the oppression you speak of by this action because the focus is on you not on the real conversation we need to be having. You will be sitting for a long time if this is all you intend to do or not do as the case may be. Sadly as people take sides in this issue, the division this action produces, we are no closer to a real solution.
Don’t you wonder how Colin feels now about his rebellious act? I have done a few (a very few) stupid things in my life. Fortunately, for me, none of them were documented on national television for the entire world to witness. I feel a little bit sorry for the guy and expect he probably has some regrets.
Actually over a million Americans have died in all of our wars. That’s a one plus six zeros. Then there are multiples of that who were wounded and their lives changed forever. Hey CK, who taught you to hate America this much?
I LOVE U … WELL SAID…
What needs to be understood is that, not only does he have that freedom he exhibited; everyone else has the freedom to share and react on his or her response to his actions.
Colin Kaepernick did not burn the American flag. He did not interrupt the national anthem in any way. He merely stay seated to express that the equality and rights that the flag represents for white Americans are not yet truly afforded to black people in this country. He was expressing his sadness and frustration that the flag doesn’t yet represent true freedom for black Americans. The civil rights laws that black people suffered and even died for 50 years ago are still being broken and discrimination is still a very real problem. Discussions have come and faded away many times. He could have made a statement to the press or went on twitter but that would hardly have made the news. The discrimination issues in our country need to be in the forefront and stay there until we can make real change. Mr. Kaepernick, at great personal risk to himself, stepped forward to help keep this cause in the forefront. He did not trash the flag. It’s not just our right to protest and express ourselves, that our flag represents, it represents the responsibility of all Americans to try to correct the wrongs and continue to make our country better. The “love it or leave it” mentality does not make America better. One hundred years ago I would not have been able to vote and the flag would not have represented the equality of every man standing around me. Many women fighting for the right to vote also stayed seated for the national anthem as a protest. They were very brave, I think Mr. Kaepernick was too. Far from disrespecting this country, he was trying to make it better. This is not a petty problem.
Intelligence vs Ignorance…
Well said, Thank You!
“The real courage was exhibited by brave Americans over the past 238 years who paved the way for you to be able to protest this weekend without fear of serious retribution.” – African Americans did not have freedom for those 238 years. They did not have freedom when the flag was designed or created. Perhaps they do not have ownership of a flag which was made when they were being treated as less than humans.
My hope is perhaps the flag now stands for something more than what it stood for before. It stands for freedom in a country in which every individual (despite race/gender etc) is treated equal.