Black Americans and their allies around the country are protesting persistent mistreatment by police. Now one famous athlete — Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers — is standing up for black lives by sitting down during the national anthem.
Kaepernick’s statement shows real courage. And it has been powerfully effective, elevating the central narrative of the Movement for Black Lives in the press. But it’s also made him a target of racist hate and conservatives in the media who have the audacity to question his patriotism.