Colin Kaepernick’s civil disobedience has been widely condemned in both public discussion and the media. Op-ed pages reveal no shortage of letters of indignation and outrage directed at the San Francisco 49ers quarterback for remaining seated during the national anthem. But we should recall the other outrage attending this act, Kaepernick’s own at an ongoing national disgrace — the institutionalized assaults on people of color in the United States.
There is no doubt that Kaepernick was acting within the rights defined by the U.S. Constitution. But rants and harangues in op-ed pages seem indifferent to this plain fact. Instead of affirming his 1st Amendment right, and applauding his earnest exercise of it, writers tell stories about patriotism, valor, community and their fervent gratitude to our soldiers in harm’s way. Such issues are not only beside the point, they also distract attention from the urgent subject of Kaepernick’s protest, the racist attitudes and practices that still thrive in our country, to such degree that one presidential candidate openly panders to them.