Students discuss Colin Kaepernick

By Emily Schulte
ees88@txstate.edu

Mariah Johnson
Student from Dallas, Texas

1. What is your understanding of the issue?

"He kneels down during the national anthem at football games for the racial tension between white and black people in America and that the national anthem wasn't a representation of equaltiy at the time or even now."

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"I feel as though it is part of our first amendment and our freedome of speech and it isn't hate speech. He accomplished what he was trying to do, but it got him kicked out of the NFL. He did what he had to do, and he got punished for it. I don't feel as thought it was right or wrong, just a simple protest."

3. How do you feel about the approach of kneeling?

"I believe his approach was right. It wasn't derrogatory towards any culture and he wasn't trying to get everyone to do it. It was his own thing; he did it by himself and he wasn't trying to start a gang against a certain race."

4. How do you feel about the NFL's reaction?

"I think the NFL could have done better with it. Fining players because of their beliefs and how they feel is pretty absurd to me. I feel like there should be some kind of compromise. I understand being told to wait in the locker room, but being fined is ridiculous."

5. How would you handle the situation?

"It's kind of hard to say. The national anthem is like the constitution; nobody whats to change it. As far as making accommodations to those who don't feel as though they can't support it, then they should be respected to how they act on their beliefs. Respect both sides."




Azucena Rivera
Student from San Antonio, Texas

1. What is your understanding of the issue?

"I don't know much about it, but I don't find it to be rude or offensive"

2. How do you feel about the issue?

"I don't believe it was offensive to anyone. It was his belief and he could have done whatever he wanted to do. He didn't have to stand if he didn't want to and I think that it was more respectful of him to kneel down than to actually stand in a way."

3. How do you feel about the approach of kneeling?

"I don't really know much about what it means to kneel, but I think that if he's peacefully protesting then it should be respected and allowed."

4. How do you feel about the NFL's reaction?

"It's over the line and too extreme. They shouldn't be hiring players for what they believe in. You don't do that in jobs, so why would you do it in football?"

5. How would you handle the situation?

"If I was the NFL I would not have responded so negatively. Just because he kneels doesn't mean he can't play. I see where the NFL is coming from, but it also harmed Kaepernick. I would have let him kneel."