Colin Kaepernick’s decision to sit during the national anthem already has created a nationwide controversy, and a coincidental bit of scheduling figures to add fuel to the fire.
The San Francisco 49ers will play their final preseason game Thursday night in San Diego against the Chargers at 10 p.m. ET. As it so happens, that game will be the Chargers’ 28th annual “Salute to the Military” night, with the team paying tribute to “hundreds of thousands of current and retired military personnel” in the area. (The San Diego area is home to several military bases, including the largest U.S. Navy base on the West Coast.)
Among the festivities at Qualcomm Stadium will be a performance by the Marine Band San Diego and a group of retired Navy SEALs parachuting into the stadium, followed by a national anthem performance by Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Powell and a presentation of a giant, field-sized American flag.
Kaepernick said this weekend his protest will continue indefinitely, so it appears he indeed will sit during the festivities on Thursday in San Diego. That could create a very tense situation, as the Niners quarterback already has received intense criticism, partly from those who believe he’s disrespecting the flag and American service members who defend it.
Kaepernick’s beef isn’t with the military, however; he’s protesting the country’s oppression of “black people and people of color” following a rash of violence and killings by the police of members of the black community. The 28-year-old QB even received a form of support from the military recently when the #VeteransforKaepernick hashtag surfaced on Twitter defending his right to free speech.
No matter where you stand on the issue, though, Thursday night figures to be a surreal scene, as all eyes will be on Kaepernick when the “Star-Spangled Banner” begins playing.
Thumbnail photo via Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports Images
