NFL, Colin Kaepernick conflicts over race protests continue

The Seattle Seahawks postponed a planned workout with free agent NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick after Kaepernick would not give assurances to Seahawk officials that he would not continue his national anthem protests, reported ESPN on Friday.

A source told reporters at ESPN that the trip with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback had been arranged for two weeks. The Seahawks reportedly wanted Kaepernick to stop the protests and gave him an ultimatum at the last minute. Kaepernick refused to say whether he would continue his on-field protests.

The Seattle Seahawks claim that they are still considering Kaepernick, however, the team announced in a press release Friday that they have signed former Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins quarterback Stephen Morris. The release does state that the team is considering additional players..

Kaepernick  took a knee during the National Anthem before his games throughout the 2016 football season to protest the oppression of minorities in the United States as well as police brutality against Black people.

Kaepernick received praise from activists and criticism from angry self-proclaimed patriots during his protests, with some people burning his football jersey. However, US president, Donald Trump, attacked Kaepernick on Twitter and riled up his supporters while on a visit to Alabama by calling Kaepernick a “son of a bitch” and insisting the NFL stop protests.

Kaepernick has had trouble finding a team to sign him since he became a free agent after the 2016 season ended and blames owners of the National Football League for blocking him. He filed a grievance against the NFL last year accusing team owners of colluding not to hire him because of his protests against racism, according to The Washington Post.

The Baltimore Sun reported last week that Colin Kaepernick was in attendance for a deposition against Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh and the team’s general manager Ozzie Newsome on Thursday.

Kaepernick also attended a previous deposition against the owner of the Houston Texans Robert C. McNair on March 16. McNair received criticism after he referenced the protests by saying that “we can’t have the inmates running the prison.” Kaepernick attended the deposition with McNair wearing a Kunta Kinte t-shirt.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California held an event Dec. 3, 2017 and praised Kaepernick by awarding him with the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award for his impact on activism.

Kaepernick talked about the criticism he received from his NFL protests during his acceptance speech, saying that systematic oppression cannot be tolerated. “We must confront systemic oppression as a doctor would a disease. You identify it, you call it out, you treat it, and you defeat it,” said Kaepernick. He added that people have an obligation to act against injustice.