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Gabe Kapler refused to come out for the National Anthem before a San Francisco Giants game. He also declared that he would continue to do so for future games also until he feels better about the direction his country is going in.
NFL fans took to social media to draw comparisons between the Giants manager and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
The quarterback had kneeled during the national anthem back in the 2016 NFL season to protest police brutality against racial minorities in the United States of America.
This fan compared the Giants manager to Kaepernick but feels that the manager will not be blackballed like the quarterback was:
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Another fan tweeted that we all need to speak up now and that it would be great if every spectator at the next big sporting event took a knee during the National Anthem:
A fan says that the "Complexion protection: will keep the San Francisco manager secure:
Here, a fan states that they're happy to see more white guys stepping up because, for too long, they haven't. The fan went on to say that if more white men had done so earlier, Kaepernick's fate would have been different:
An Atlanta Falcons fan said that it will be interesting to see how this unfolds and wants to see how Kapler is treated for his stance:
A United States Army veteran said that they fought for Kapler's right to choose if he comes out for the National Anthem or not:
This 49ers fan said that they support the Giants manager:
Another fan tweeted that caring about your country is patriotic and you get to show it however you want:
This fan wonders how many people would stand with the Giants manager if he was a black man, like Kaepernick:
A fan notes that when Kaepernick took a knee, there was so much outrage and that apologies are owed to the quarterback:
Gabe Kapler on his National Anthem protest
Gabe Kapler spoke to the media prior to the start of the Giants' series opener on the road versus the Cincinnati Reds. He stated that he has no plans on taking the field for the national anthem, giving the following reason:
"Until I feel better about the direction of our country"
An 18-year-old killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas a few days ago. Two weeks prior to Uvalde, 10 people were killed when an 18-year-old opened fire in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
He also says that every time he places his hand over his heart and takes off his hat, he is insensitively glorifying the only country where these mass shootings take place.
"... Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I'm participating in a self congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place."
Kapler is the latest example of how several notable sports figures, including Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, have been using platforms to seek changes to deal with gun violence in the United States.
