After not standing for the national anthem on the opening game of the new season, starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers Collin Kaepernick caused a stir online and on social media. Kaepernick stated it is a protest and his reason is due to the racial tension in the country.

“He has a right to make this decision, and this nation doesn’t have equality at the moment,” senior Lorenzo Solano said. “Honestly, it was a kind of a shock because most athletes care too much about their image to make an act like that, but he had the courage to do it and he did it. I don’t feel any disrespect for him not standing because he has all the rights to.”

Others disagree with his decision and the choices he made.

“I understand the principles of where he’s coming from, but he shouldn’t have pushed it out there so soon cause it’s not the time for that due to all the crises that were in,” junior Jack Beccue said. “It wasn’t a shock to me that he didn’t stand because Collin is a straight forward guy. If he’s going to do something he’s going to do it.”

Even though he has a right, others believe that what he’s trying to do, to make a change could have been done differently.

“He’s got the right to do that. We live in the United States of America,” Head football coach Shane Hallmark said.” So whether I agree with him or not he has the right to do that. I was shocked because to me the representation of that flag has nothing to do with what’s going on in this country. Do I agree that there are some injustices going on out there? Absolutely, but we still live in the greatest country in the world. Are we perfect? No, but this is the best country in the world. I don’t think his protest will make a change. we’ve got to treat everyone with the respect they deserve as a human being and in this country, nobody should be better than the other regardless of the color of their skin, no matter what they do for a living we’re all human beings and we’re all Americans.”