"Kyle Rittenhouse, a hero; we live in a strange world" - NFL fans react to 19-year-old being hailed a "hero" instead of Colin Kaepernick

Kyle Rittenhouse recently made headlines after releasing a video game in which users can shoot "fake news turkeys."

Rittenhouse, who shot and killed two men during protests in Kenosha two years ago, was found not guilty on all counts by a unanimous jury in November last year. Rittenhouse claimed he was at the scene to protect local businesses. He has since been hailed as a "hero" by many sections of society.

In contrast, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been blacklisted since taking a knee to protest police brutality during NFL games several years ago.

NFL fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the quarterback and Rittenhouse.

One fan said treating the former 49ers quarterback as a traitor and Rittenhouse as a hero shows that we live in a "strange world."

Another fan said Rittenhouse should be in a federal prison while the former San Francisco quarterback should still be playing football:

A fan tweeted that they'd take Kaepernick over Rittenhouse any day:

This Twitter user stated that events like the Buffalo shooting take place when Rittenhouse is glorified over Kaepernick.

This Twitter used did not mince his words.

One fan stated that the quarterback being vilified and Rittenhouse championed speaks volumes about racial issues in society.

Colin Kaepernick's stance against racial injustice

Kaepernick kneeling before a 49ers game. Source: The New York Times

In August 2016, Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem in a preseason game versus the Green Bay Packers.

He spoke to the media after the game, saying he wouldn't stand up and show pride for a nation that oppresses black people and others of color:

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish, on my part, to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Later in the year, former Seattle Seahawks player and Green Beret Nate Boyer wrote an open letter to the 49ers quarterback. He convinced Kaepernick to alter his way of protesting from sitting to kneeling during the national anthem.

In September 2016, the quarterback went ahead with his new form of protest, kneeling as opposed to sitting, prior to San Francisco's last preseason game, versus the then-San Diego Chargers.

This time, Kaepernick was accompanied by defensive back Eric Reid. This became the pair's method of protest for the rest of the 2016 season.

Kaepernick became a free agent after the season and remained unsigned. He has not played in the NFL since. The 34-year-old quarterback is currently looking to make a comeback following a workout with the Las Vegas Raiders.

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