Ahead of Chicago trip, 49ers' Colin Kaepernick reiterates his protest stances
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been a polarizing figure throughout this NFL season, a 29-year-old athlete who has drawn both widespread praise and antagonistic backlash while speaking out with pleas to reduce social injustice.
Kaepernick first drew the spotlight in August when he began kneeling during the national anthem as a symbol of protest. From a wide view, Kaepernick has voiced hopes of addressing systemic oppression, specifically pushing to shine more light on cases of police brutality. Critics, however, have questioned the quarterback’s true vision, wondering whether he truly had a vision or an end game before he assumed his platform of social activism.
On Wednesday, in advance of his weekend trip to Chicago to play the Bears at Soldier Field, Kaepernick participated in a 14-minute conference call with reporters, expanding on many of the issues he’s tried to undertake this year.
Here are full details from that conversation.
On whether he’s had contact with any people or organizations in Chicago, where police violence remains a hot-button issue
I’ve had contact with a couple people in Chicago. I particularly have had contact with the Black Youth Project. I donated to them in November as part of my million dollar pledge. And I think it’s important that organizations like that are supported and are empowered. They’re on the ground level doing work in those communities to try to create a better environment and to try and create changeto really empower the youth and give them opportunities to succeed and not be targeted.
On how he responds to those who feel his sentiments come across as anti-police
I’ve been very clear from the beginning that I’m against systematic oppression. Police violence is just one of the symptoms of that oppression. For me, that is something that needs to be addressed, but it’s not the whole issue.
On how he articulates his big-picture goals and what he is ultimately seeking with the stances he’s taken
For me, I want to try to help create change and also help empower other people and other organizations that are doing the work to continue to do the work. And for people who aren't, (I want them) to get involved and help create that change. Because this isn't something that's going to be changed by one person or a couple people. It's going to take communities coming together creating the change that needs to be made and the country coming together and creating the change.”
On when his interest in Malcolm X spiked and why
As I read more about him, as I further understood what his stance was, what he was trying to do, it was something that really inspired me and something that I looked at as very just and very admirable. To see his determination, his perseverance through everything and really holding true to what he believed in and his ideologies regardless of what anybody said, that was huge for me. The fact that he was willing to fight for human rights, regardless of what anybody was going to say or do, was amazing.
On when he became a student of those kinds of issues
I think it's been a process over years. I think even more so in the last couple years, as I've learned more, as I've researched more on Malcolm as well as on the environment in the United States as a whole, it's something that really has touched me, inspired me and sparked my interest to really try to fight for those same things.
On if he’s worried about repercussions for kneeling through the national anthem after a tweet from President-elect Donald Trump that proposed taking away citizenship for flag burning
No, I'm not concerned about that at all. To me, if things go down that path, those are human rights issues. Patriotism is earned; it's not something you demand. For me, I don't see those as issues. I'll continue on my path as I have planned.
On compartmentalizing his social activism and learning how to balance those stances with his football preparation
For me, there’s a time and a place for everything. When the focus is football, that’s what I’m focused on. When I’m asked questions on social justice or human rights, that’s the topic I’m talking about at that moment. So it’s really being able to live in the moment and being able to know when it’s appropriate to talk about these things and go to work on these things.
On what valuable advice he has gotten during this period of activism
That’s hard to say. I’ve had a lot of different advice thrown my way. I’ve talked to a lot of different people. More than anything, I would say, it’s just being true to my word and true to what I believe in. Remaining true to that, I think, ultimately is what keeps me focused and keeps me going.
On how he has changed and matured since entering the league in 2012 to feel more comfortable stepping out
I think it was an education process for me and an evolution process. It was something that wasn’t going to happen overnight. It took time. It took me really seeking to further my understanding of a lot of different situations. As far as on the football field and off the football field, in relationships, all of those things. And I think I’ve really gotten to a point where I feel very comfortable with everything that’s going on in my life.
On whether he expects any reaction at Soldier Field on Sunday in a city with a strong police presence
No. I don’t think about those things walking into (a stadium). At that point, once again, my focus is on football and trying to help my team win football games.
On dealing with backlash that’s come in many different forms
There’s always going to be backlash when you fight for different ideologies and different beliefs and different rights. That’s been proven throughout history. And for me, it’s not something I’m concerned with. I knew that backlash was going to come when I initially took this stance. And I know it will continue to come.
On how closely he follows the happenings in cities that he and the 49ers travel to and whether he stays in tune with incidents that have occurred recently in Chicago
I try to make sure I’m aware of what’s going on in the country as a whole. The details of some of the things that are going on? There are so many incidents and so many situations that occur that it’s really hard to keep up with all the details of every one of them. But I try to be my best to make sure I’m well informed on things I’m going to be speaking about and situations that do arise.
On his big-picture missions going forward in addition to being a voice for change
Once again, (I want) to empower people and to help empower other organizations that are trying to help people. Ultimately, it’s going to take a lot of people, a lot of effort, a lot of time to create the true change that needs to happen. And to pick one thing that I’m going to try to change or try to help people change is a hard thing to do because there are so many things that need to change.
On if he believes he’ll ultimately have to pick one of those things on which to pinpoint his effort
I think you attack things as they come, and you attack them as you see significance in them as far as coming to the forefront of a situation — police brutality being one of those. It’s very significant in costing people lives and breaking up families, things of that nature. Where, being able to have your safety before you even try to empower people is a huge step.
