Colin Kaepernick protest backed by 'Black Power' Olympian John Carlos
Tuesday 13 September 2016 10:31, UK
Olympian John Carlos, who famously raised his fist on the podium at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, has thrown his support behind Colin Kaepernick's NFL anthem protest.
Kaepernick was joined by team-mate Eric Reid in kneeling for the Star Spangled Banner before San Francisco opened their regular season with a 28-0 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback's refusal to stand for the national anthem during pre-season in order to draw attention to racial inequality has caused controversy throughout the country, with Kaepernick accused of disrespecting the US flag and military.
But Carlos, who made the Black Power salute alongside Tommie Smith on the podium at the 200m medal ceremony in 1968, believes that shocking American citizens is the only way instigate real change.
"This is about bringing attention. These atrocities are still taking place," he said. "They've been taking place for some time now and time is running out. We need to cmoe together and try to resolve these issues.
"He's bringing attention to them the same way we did 48 years ago in terms of giving America shock treatment. That's the only way you move, when you shock them.
"For him to do what he did, took a tremendous amount of courage to sit down against the odds and say someone needs to make a statement again."
Kapernick's protest was supported by several other players on the opening weekend of the season. While he and Reid knelt, two other team-mates, safety Antoine Bethea and linebacker Eli Harold, stood with fists in the air, while Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt and defensive end Robert Quinn did the same on the other side of the field.
On Sunday, four Miami Dolphins players - Arian Foster, Michael Thomas, Jelani Jenkins and Kenny Stills - also took a knee during the anthem while the Seattle Seahawks linked arms on the opposite side of the field.
In Kansas, Marcus Peters raised a gloved fist before his team's game against the San Diego Chargers, while New England Patriots' Devin McCourty and Martellus Bennett did the same - as did several Tennessee Titans players before their game against Minnesota.
The Dolphins' Foster insists their actions are not disrespectful, but integral to the freedoms of their country.
"This conversation has started once again and I felt like I had a responsibility to keep it going because it's healthy conversation," he said.
"This is exactly what this country is about. A lot of people in other countries, if they speak out, they get beheaded, they get killed, tortured. That's now what this is about. If someone disagrees with it, they can disagree with it, but respect that right to protest.
"The same people that died and fought for our right to protest, fought for your right to protest agianst our protest, that's okay. That's the beautiful thing about America.
"I love this country. I would rather be nowhere else. Kneeling for a flag means nothing about disprespect. It is not disrespectful. If kneeling for a flag is disrespectful, then kneeling for your God is disrespectful."
