Hestood forsomething

STORYBYELLIOTTALMOND

AsColin Kaepernick’s Afro grewlarge and unruly,so toodidhis presence atthecrossroads of America’s longstanding struggle withrace relations. What startedquietly in Augustbeforethe SanFrancisco49ers’ firstpreseason gamemushroomed into asocial movementthattriggeredboth widespread supportand criticism.As Kaepernick kneeled forthe national anthem, so too did fellow athletes—fromNFL teammates and opponents to highschool players, across sporting fields and continents in the worlds of basketball, soccer andevenrugby.Someinstead held raised fists,or didboth. How fitting that athletesused their sporting platform for protest in ayear framedbyadivisive presidential election and a constant social media barrage over African-Americans beingshotduring police conflicts. Kaepernick,the biracial athletefrom Turlock better knownfor kissing his tattoos after scintillating touchdown runsduring better days for the 49ers, ignited asearingnational conversation thathas turned him intothe sporting face of the Black Lives Mattercampaign.It even landed himonthe coverofTime magazine.

Hissimple,yet controversial, gesture has beenportrayed asa 21st-centuryextension of Muhammad Ali’sVietnam War protest and thestatement bySan Jose State sprinters JohnCarlos and TommieSmith whentheyraised black glovesonthemedal standat the1968 Olympics inMexico City.

Theprotestelicited commentary from presidentialcandidates DonaldTrumpand Hillary Clinton. It reachedthe WhiteHouse,

Keymoments

Aug.14: Kaepernick opensthe preseasonsitting during the national anthemwhile recuperating from surgeriesand not in uniform.OnAug.26, Kaepernick isin uniform and continuesto sitduring thenationalanthem.

Aug.29: Donald Trumpcriticize’sthe QB: “I think it’s aterrible thing,and, youknow,maybehe should findacountry that works betterfor him.”

Sept.1: Kaepernick changeshis action tokneelinginstead ofsitting. He pledges to donate $1million tocharitiesthatfocusonracial issues.

Sept.16: Some West Coast high school footballplayers start kneeling.

Sept.27: Kaepernick saysof the presidential hopefuls: “Both areproven liars,and it almost seems likethey’re trying todebatewho’slessracist.” wherePresident BarackObama addressedKaepernick’sstance. ItevenspilledoverintotheU.S. SupremeCourt in October, when Justice RuthBaderGinsburg retracted her initialcriticism of the protest.

Nov.13: Kaepernick faces a backlash from somesupportersfor declaring he didn’t votein the presidential election.

Kaepernick,29, hasbeenlauded for givingvoice tominorityissues. Hehasbeenequally vilified by those whodrape the U.S. flag in symbolic threads of patriotism —and criticized for notparticipating in the voting process.

Either way,he has not been ignored.By kneeling down,Kaepernick stood upfor hisbeliefs.

EALMOND@BAYAREANEWSGROUP.COM