NFL Star Richard Sherman Responds To Kaepernick Controversy With Mixed Reaction

Outspoken Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman agrees with Colin Kaepernick that law enforcement shouldn’t kill black thugs who break the law, but he disagrees with how he protested.

From Yahoo Sports:

 Drew Brees was critical of Colin Kaepernick’s decision Friday to sit during the national anthem. Richard Sherman said Kaepernick could have picked a better platform to protest social injustices.…

The 49ers quarterback explained himself Sunday and vowed to “continue to sit” during the anthem as a form of protest for what he says is the oppression “of black people and people of color.”…

Sherman understands the criticism but knows Kaepernick was coming from a “good place” with his intent, saying the “oppression of African Americans in this country … has been going on for a long time.”

 “There are also things in this nation that people need to remember and take heed of and also acknowledge,” Sherman told reporters Monday. “This country is the same country that had ‘whites’ and ‘colored’ signs on the bathroom. We’re still in that country, we’re still in that nation. And that needs to be acknowledged and that needs to be changed. There are people with that mentality that still exists, and that needs to change. There are people who still treat people of color with subjectivity. They treat them a certain way. They categorize them. They put them in a certain category.

“There are certain statistics that are put out there to make sure police profile certain people in certain neighborhoods, and that needs to change. So there is some depth and some truth to what he’s doing. I think he could have picked a better platform and a better way to do it, but every day they say athletes are so robotic and do everything by the book. And then when somebody takes a stand like that, he gets his head chopped off.”

“As time went on, as people understood his message and what he was standing for, the feeling toward it changed,” Sherman said. “Obviously, (Kaepernick) is an American and he thinks America is as great a nation as anybody else or else he wouldn’t be living here, I’m guessing. But he also understands the trials and tribulations that he goes through as an African-American male in this country.

“People say, ‘Oh, he has all this money so he doesn’t deal with those problems.’ Well, all the money in the world can’t buy you freedom, can’t change your skin color, can’t get your family out of that,” Sherman added. “And not only do you have to deal with that but your family has deal with it, your kids have to deal with it. And it’s unfortunate, and I think people need to take a step back and acknowledge that. Acknowledge that there were wrongs in this country. Acknowledge that there were people getting hosed down in the street and dogs getting sicced on them for standing for what they believed in, and that’s unfortunate.

“At the same time, you’ve got to honor your country.”

Although Sherman may be off somewhat, he understands that this is the greatest country in the world and deserves to be honored, especially if you are born and raised. Colin Kaepernick will end up on the wrong side of history with this stunt. What do you think?