San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick spoke with left-wing celebrity tabloid Us Weekly in late 2015 to outline a “racial struggle” he associated with his childhood. The NFL star has generated headlines today following his refusal to stand for the national anthem during the pregame ritual on Friday, citing his opposition to America’s “[oppression] of black people and people of color.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick passes during warmups before a preseason NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Adopted by white parents in Wisconsin, Kaepernick is the biological child of a white woman and a black man. He was born in 1987.
Speaking in terms of race, Kaepernick told Us Weekly that “he knew he was different [from his parents]… even before he could speak.”
“I knew I was different to my parents and my older brother and sister,” said Kaepernick. “I never felt that I was supposed to be white. Or black, either. My parents just wanted to let me be who I needed to be.”
Us Weekly indulged Kaepernick’s grievance-mongering and self-victimization, describing him as being “judged” by “the world” because of “the color of his skin.”
Kaepernick recalled his childhood struggles:
“We used to go on these summer driving vacations and stay at motels. And every year, in the lobby of every motel, the same thing always happened, and it only got worse as I got older and taller. It didn’t matter how close I stood to my family, somebody would walk up to me, a real nervous manager, and say: ‘Excuse me. Is there something I can help you with?'”
Somehow, Kaepernick developed a racial ethos over time:
“What do I represent?’ And you know what? My racial heritage is something I want people to be well aware of. I do want to be a representative of the African community, and I want to hold myself and dress myself in a way that reflects that. I want black kids to see me and think: ‘Okay, he’s carrying himself as a black man, and that’s how a black man should carry himself.’”
Kaepernick explained his refusal to stand for the Star-Spangled Banner, expressing solidarity with the neo-Marxist racial narratives of Black Lives Matter:
“I am 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.”
Describing himself as a black man in a society that “oppresses black people,” Kaepernick signed a 6-year contract with the 49ers in 2015 for $114 million. He has also been paid millions of additional dollars through endorsement deals.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick holds a tablet computer as he stands on the sideline during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
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