Kaepernick Kneeling at National Anthem

Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem has created a lot of news frenzy in the media. It has also been a major source of debate among the public and within homes. I know I have debated this very subject myself with friends and family. The problem though, I realize, is that so much debate has gone on and is still going on, that the main point of this whole kneeling during the anthem has gotten lost in all the hoopla.

The point is that Kaepernick was hired by the San Francisco 49’ers to represent them as an organization, and play in games against other teams with the object being to win. That makes Kaepernick an employee of the 49’ers. The 49’ers belong to an even larger organization called the National Football League (NFL) which has their own rules and regulations. So, in essence, Kaepernick while working for the 49’ers and on the 49’ers time kneeled during the anthem. I’m sorry, but there isn’t a company in existence that would allow an employee to protest one of their practices while they were on the clock. The 49’ers were not paying Kaepernick to protest a practice, they were paying him to play football games.

Kaepernick is on 49’er time when he shows up in the San Francisco 49’er uniform at the stadium of the team he will be playing against. He is earning a paycheck by them to play in the game. The national anthem is played at EVERY football game and in fact, the anthem is played at every sport game. Football, Soccer, Hockey, and Baseball. A practice that started during World War II as showing respect for those that fought in the war. There is no written law that says it has to be played, but it has since then evolved into a common practice. Either way, no company is going to be happy with an employee protesting a policy while being paid by them.

I understand what Kaepernick and others were protesting by kneeling, and I totally agree with their intentions, but I disagree with the avenue they chose. There is no company in the world that would allow an employee to clock into work to protest a legacy that has been in effect for over seventy years. You have an issue with a practice then you work off the clock or on your own personal time to object to a given policy. You go to the NFL commission and protest the practice of playing the national anthem, but not while being paid by the very organization you are protesting against.

When Kaepernick plays in a football game, he is effectively clocking in to work, and it’s his job is to play the best game he can. That is what the 49’ers are paying him for, not for using the company’s resources to strike or protest against a practice because of a personal belief. That is effectively stealing from the company. Some how that got lost in the craziness of the situation. Kaepernick is a free agent, and other teams are wary of hiring him for which he is suing the NFL.

I’m sorry, but if I hired an employee and he came to work one day and while collecting my money protested a company practice because of a personal belief and while on MY time? I would be wary too. I think it is very admirable that Kaepernick stands up for what he believes, and he does have the right to voice his opinion however way he wants, but not football games, while being paid by the 49’ers.