According to a statement by the San Francisco 49ers, “The national anthem is and always will be…an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens”.

Exercising the “great liberty” to protest, Colin Kaepernick, none other the quarterback of the 49ers, has been taking a knee during every pre-game anthem since the summertime in an effort to shine light on racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick explained in an interview. “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 away with murder.”

Kaepernick joins the company of many other professional athletes who have similarly lent their voices to social issues. Last year, Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James, star basketball players in the NBA, advocated for gun control in the aftermath of shootings in Baltimore. Since Kaepernick started his protest, numerous football athletes have started kneeling or raising closed fists during the anthem in solidarity.

Chelsea Winegar ‘19, appreciates Kaepernick’s use of his celebrity to raise awareness: “Instead of creating headlines that focus on some scandal or embarrassing incident of his, [Kaepernick] is using his popularity to take a purposeful stance about something larger than himself. It’s remarkable that him speaking up has caused this positive attitude change in other celebrities too. I think he’s actually much better of a role model for his fans than many other celebrities.”

While some feel that Kaepernick’s intentions are admirable, many have questioned the highly controversial means by which he has conducted his protest. For many, refusal to stand for the anthem indicates disrespect and ingratitude towards the United States and its values. The issue has drawn criticism from not only several other NFL players, including Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, but also high-profile political figures, including Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

In an interview, Mr. Trump remarked, “I think [kneeling during the anthem] is a terrible thing…And you know, maybe [Kaepernick] should find a country that works better for him. Let him try.”

Some also disapprove of Kaepernick’s antics for their possible effect on the rest of the team. According to ESPN host Trent Dilfer, a former quarterback for the 49ers, Kaepernick’s conduct jeopardizes the team’s prospects for this season, detracting focus from the game and diverting attention to his personal politics.

Timothy Chen ‘17 muses, “No matter a famous team athlete’s personal beliefs, he needs to consider the rest of the team before acting on them. I think Kaepernick is brave for protesting, but he is a little inconsiderate. He didn’t think about the negative publicity that his actions bring to the 49ers as a whole.”

For fans hoping for a fruitful 49ers season, Kaepernick’s protest is a failure on the part of the team’s management, which has seemingly failed to maintain order among its athletes. Even though some may censure the team’s administration for its lax attitudes, Coach Chip Kelly maintains that Kaepernick is exercising “his right as a citizen” and that “it’s not my right to tell him not to do something.”

Despite the criticism Kaepernick has provoked, his demonstrations have not damaged his future on the team. In fact, his jersey number is now the highest-selling of any current NFL player. An athlete who has been benched for thumb and shoulder injuries since last November, Kaepernick has since recovered and restructured his contract, affirming that his new position as the starting quarterback for the 49ers. In light of Kaepernick’s professional development, some believe his “activism” is a personal ploy to attain exposure and save his formerly failing football career.

Though many continue to dispute his actions, Kaepernick asserts that he will continue to advocate for the rights of minorities: “At the end of the day, the flag is just a piece of cloth, and I am not going to value a piece of cloth over people’s lives.”

The effectiveness of Kaepernick’s viral protest is, however, yet to be determined. The media storm the quarterback has generated largely concerns his mode of protest- refusing to stand for the anthem- not the actual issue he is concerned with- racial injustice. In his efforts to use his platform for advocacy, Kaepernick may have obfuscated his message by overshadowing the point in question with severe methods of expression.