San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick said that he would continue to sit through the national anthem until he sees "significant change" and he did so Thursday night in San Diego on the 28th Annual Salute to the Military night by taking a knee.
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Colin Kaepernick ain't having it today ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 https://t.co/aFu90nTRIi
— Prince Floyd 👑 (@iamPrinceFloyd) September 2, 2016
Teammate Eric Reid sat with him.
Colin Kaepernick sat down. Eric Reid sits down next to him.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 2, 2016
Kaepernick gave Reid a hug after both stood up, and Nate Boyer also hugged Kaepernick. Several teammates came by to hug Kaepernick, also.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/AhmedFareedCSN/status/771528852157837313
Boyer was standing next to Kaepernick in the black shirt during anthem as he knelt. pic.twitter.com/lFclznvYLo
— Alex Flanagan (@Alex_Flanagan) September 2, 2016
Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Powell performed the national anthem.
Petty Officer First Class Steven Powell just finished rehearsing the national anthem for... https://t.co/u9AJR0gQf3 pic.twitter.com/SYI5akjk2D
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 1, 2016
RELATED: NASCAR's Tony Stewart called Colin Kaepernick a "dumbass," but the response was not what he expected
Anyone and everyone, from his birth mother to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, has opined on the situation since Kaepernick revealed Friday that he was sitting through national anthem in protest.
RELATED: Veterans standing with Colin Kaepernick say his critics are missing the message
Here's what he said then:
I'm not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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.
Some booed as Kaepernick ran on the field Thursday.
Kap run on. pic.twitter.com/MabgrujH1R
— Alex Flanagan (@Alex_Flanagan) September 2, 2016
Others cursed him out.
Kaepernick has said that his protest has nothing to do with the military, and that he has great respect for those who have fought for America.
"I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country," he said. "I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That's not happening."
Interestingly, more than a few veterans have voiced their support of Kaepernick, saying that he has the right to sit.
#VeteransForKaepernick because I didn't volunteer to defend a country where police brutality is swept under the rug. pic.twitter.com/LtBkTvHHAn
— Baltic Avenue (@Baltic_Avenue) August 31, 2016
Others, however, including a Gold Star mom, have criticized Kaepernick heavily.
Whatever you may think about Colin Kaepernick's decision, here's how it impacted one Gold Star Mom. pic.twitter.com/3uaUxNsFoM
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 28, 2016
What do you think of Colin Kaepernick's protest?
