Obama Defends Kaepernick for Not Standing During National Anthem

On Monday, President Barack Obama defended San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick for his decision not to stand during the national anthem.

“He’s following his constitutional right to make a statement,” Obama said, when asked about the question from a reporter in China, which Obama is visiting for a summit. “I think there’s a long history of sports figures doing so.”

Donald Trump said last week "maybe [Kaepernick] should find a country that works better for him."

"When it comes to the flag and the national anthem and the meaning that holds for our men and women in uniform and those who fought for us — that is a tough thing for them to get past," Obama continued on Monday, according to USA Today. "But I don’t doubt his sincerity. I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about. If nothing else, he’s generated more conversation about issues that have to be talked about."

“I’d rather have young people who are engaged in the argument and trying to think through how they can be part of our democratic process than people who are just sitting on the sidelines not paying attention at all,” Obama said.

--Image by Flickr User Moe Epsilon used under Creative License 2.0