https://twitter.com/gbpackfan32/status/772615697499250692
U.S. Women’s National Team and Seattle Reign FC midfielder Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem before their match against the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday in support of Colin Kaepernick. Rapinoe, who is gay, has never been shy about supporting the causes she believes in and later explained why Kaepernick’s protest has struck a nerve with her:
Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem today. Here she explains why. #USWNT https://t.co/oQ0sNXoMIb pic.twitter.com/4ymmPBuoup
— Ben Krimmel (@BenKrimmel) September 5, 2016
Kaepernick has ignited a firestorm of debate since he first announced the reasons behind his sitting for the anthem before the 49ers’ preseason games, and a growing number of other professional athletes have started, well, standing with him by sitting themselves during the anthem.
And just like Kaepernick, reactions have been…mixed.
https://twitter.com/KrauserYNWA/status/772629371253354500
Shout out to Megan Rapinoe joining the fight for us! A white female athlete joined. Now where the white male athletes?
— Miles Morales 🇵🇷 (@eddistotle) September 5, 2016
Rapinoe’s protest, which is about as peaceful as they come, proves that the point Kaepernick has been trying to make has started to spread across not just the NFL but other sports as well. With the NFL finally getting to meaningful games next weekend it remains to be seen if more NFL players will brave the criticism and stand alongside Kaepernick, but Rapinoe’s actions might just start to be the tipping point among athletes in all sports who support the ideas behind it, but haven’t considered it necessary to participate.
