[stupac2]

I think FrankO nailed it.

The U.S. government - which represents all people in the country - is represented by the stars and stripes flag.  If the U.S. government had policies that were racist or prejudiced, like apartheid in South Africa for example, then Kaepernick's actions and the tie he's making to standing for the anthem, would make more sense.

In fact, the U.S. government has passed many laws and policies that are intended to curb or eliminate prejudice and preference by any number of measures, be it race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability.  The fact is most of the manifestations of mistreatment based on identity, happens on a local or state level.  In this context provided by FrankO, taking issue with the United States government seems a bit misguided to me. 

Then again, he's trying to call attention to a perceived injustice and there is no better way to get it than by doing what he has chosen to do. That said, if he's going to take an action sure to draw attention, he should have a prepared statement or an essay outlining his position, so he can actually harness the attention he's getting into delivering a well though out message.  Producing a sound bite answer is not good enough.  If you're going to take a stand on something that will draw so much attention, you better be able to articulate your position clearly.

Of course, I do think playing the national anthem at sports events is a bit ridiculous.  It isn't played before concerts, award ceremonies or other gatherings.  Why should it be at sports events?  If you're not a sports fan, you might not ever hear the national anthem.

The US government is also composed of state governments, some of which are actively trying to curtail minority rights.

Also, I've never really understood why so many people confuse trends and levels. Is the US closer to equality than it's ever been? Sure, but it's not actually all that close, and if you disagree with that statement look at pretty much any statistic broken down by racial categories. There are some cities where infant mortality for black children approaches third world levels, while for white children it's at European levels. And people wonder why so many black people think the US doesn't value their lives...

[stupac2]

I think FrankO nailed it.

The U.S. government - which represents all people in the country - is represented by the stars and stripes flag.  If the U.S. government had policies that were racist or prejudiced, like apartheid in South Africa for example, then Kaepernick's actions and the tie he's making to standing for the anthem, would make more sense.

In fact, the U.S. government has passed many laws and policies that are intended to curb or eliminate prejudice and preference by any number of measures, be it race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability.  The fact is most of the manifestations of mistreatment based on identity, happens on a local or state level.  In this context provided by FrankO, taking issue with the United States government seems a bit misguided to me. 

Then again, he's trying to call attention to a perceived injustice and there is no better way to get it than by doing what he has chosen to do. That said, if he's going to take an action sure to draw attention, he should have a prepared statement or an essay outlining his position, so he can actually harness the attention he's getting into delivering a well though out message.  Producing a sound bite answer is not good enough.  If you're going to take a stand on something that will draw so much attention, you better be able to articulate your position clearly.

Of course, I do think playing the national anthem at sports events is a bit ridiculous.  It isn't played before concerts, award ceremonies or other gatherings.  Why should it be at sports events?  If you're not a sports fan, you might not ever hear the national anthem.

The US government is also composed of state governments, some of which are actively trying to curtail minority rights.

Also, I've never really understood why so many people confuse trends and levels. Is the US closer to equality than it's ever been? Sure, but it's not actually all that close, and if you disagree with that statement look at pretty much any statistic broken down by racial categories. There are some cities where infant mortality for black children approaches third world levels, while for white children it's at European levels. And people wonder why so many black people think the US doesn't value their lives...