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Colin Kaepernick continues to make moves off the field, launching a second autopsy initiative

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Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick has been an advocate for social justice for a while now. While playing for the San Francisco 49ers, he famously took a knee during the playing of the national anthem, which caused a political uproar. Jerseys were set ablaze and people boycotted the NFL, eventually resulting in Kaepernick’s contract not being renewed. Though the former NFL player continued to practice and make an attempt to get signed multiple times, his social justice activism grew with every "no" he received from the league.

After his release from the NFL, Kaepernick launched the Know Your Rights Camp to “advance the liberation of Black and brown people through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization, and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders” according to his mission statement. In 2018, he completed his million-dollar pledge, where he donated $1 million of his personal money to multiple social justice campaigns.

The Know Your Rights Camp is offering free second autopsies to families who have had family members die due to “police related” instances. This initiative collaborates with board-certified forensic pathologists who perform the autopsies and disclose the initial findings, and report the final autopsy result to the family members. The purpose of the Autopsy Initiative is to eliminate concerns and confusion around the first autopsy performed during the course of the initial investigation. This will help families sift through the potential bias and concerns about the manipulation of evidence by the assigned coroner.

It’s not uncommon for families to request a second autopsy when a loved one dies from the result of a violent police interaction, or if there are questions surrounding the decedent's death. Ordering a second autopsy can be extremely costly, and the people who are most likely to be involved in a deadly police encounter are generally economically disadvantaged and often members of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) communities. If a family can’t pool together enough funds via fundraisers online, or otherwise, then the family is unable to continue its pursuit of answers it can rely on.

The Autopsy Initiative from the Know Your Rights Camp will help relieve the burden of families having to find the funds to obtain the second autopsy they need. Dr. Cyril Wecht, pathology coordinator, said “I’m extremely enthusiastic about this unique program. The opportunity to have unbiased second autopsies performed by independent, experienced forensic pathologists in police-related deaths will provide victims' families with knowledge that the true facts of any such case have been thoroughly analyzed and prepared for appropriate utilization whenever deemed necessary."

Kaepernick has received a multitude of awards for his social justice efforts, including the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Award, the ACLU’s Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal from Harvard University’s Hutchins Center. Kaepernick may not be leading another NFL team to the Super Bowl, but he’s making strides in an arena that is changing the lives of everyone it touches.

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Colin Kaepernick just snagged a top honor also given to Malala and U2. He deserves it too.

Sometimes the smallest actions can have the biggest impact.

All former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did was sit down. He didn’t shout, he didn’t stomp, he didn’t set anything on fire — he simply didn’t stand up during the national anthem.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.

That one small act sparked conversations about racial injustice and police use of force — in addition to the meaning of the national anthem and American flag — and ignited a social media controversy the likes of which I have rarely seen.

But Kaepernick didn’t continue to sit. After consulting with veteran and fellow football player Nate Boyer, Kaepernick switched to kneeling instead of sitting, to show respect for veterans while still protesting racial injustice in America’s law enforcement and justice system. Throughout the 2016-2017 football season, despite the controversy swirling around him, Kaepernick quietly knelt on the sidelines at every game.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

Some people hated him for it. Some people loved him for it. Amnesty International just awarded him their highest honor for it.

Global human rights group Amnesty International named Kaepernick their 2018 Ambassador of Conscience — the top human rights award given by the organization. Previous winners include Malala Yousafzai, Nelson Mandela, and U2.

Many Americans celebrated the honor, while others rolled their eyes. But whether or not you agree with Kaepernick’s message or methods, there’s no doubt he earned and deserves this award.

As Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty International, said:

“The Ambassador of Conscience award celebrates the spirit of activism and exceptional courage, as embodied by Colin Kaepernick. He is an athlete who is now widely recognized for his activism because of his refusal to ignore or accept racial discrimination. Just like the Ambassadors of Conscience before him, Colin Kaepernick chooses to speak out and inspire others despite the professional and personal risks. When high profile people choose to take a stand for human rights, it emboldens many others in their struggles against injustice. Colin Kaepernick’s commitment is all the more remarkable because of the alarming levels of vitriol it has attracted from those in power.”

Kaepernick sacrificed his football career for a cause. And he’s done much more than that.

Some people have focused so much on Kaepernick’s anthem protests that they’ve missed the work he’s been doing off the field.

He started the Colin Kaepernick Foundation, with a mission "to fight oppression of all kinds globally, through education and social activism." Through his foundation, he has donated a million dollars of his own money to various organization working for justice and police reform. He’s created a camp for kids to learn about their civil rights. And he has inspired others in the NFL, and throughout the entertainment world, to donate to similar causes.

When I started the #10for10 #Encore as part of my #MillionDollarPledge it was because after I ended the Pledge I still had an amazing show of support from friends that wanted to be involved, so I decided on one more day to continue to support the organizations on the ground. Well that one day, turned into two days after an outpour of support from friends wanting to join to giveback to the community who are fighting hard for us on the ground everyday. 10 people in my original #10for10 turned into 20 people adding on at the end of these two days! Amazing! · Of course, I couldn’t end the #10for10 without hearing from this amazing singer, philanthropist, mother, wife, actress and activist, @aliciakeys. She messaged me instantly as the #10for10 was going to show her support and Pledge $15k to Silicon Valley De-Bug! @sv_debug is an organization that has initiated and lead successful social justice campaigns to advance the rights of youth, workers, immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system. · Thank you, Alicia for all the work you do in the community to help our brothers and sisters globally. And thanks to everyone that was involved with the #MillionDollarPledge! Together we are strong. See everyone involved as well as all the organizations we donated to that are on the frontlines everyday fighting for social justice on Kaepernick7.com! #PowerToThePeople

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All of this in addition to serving as a catalyst for conversation, a powerful symbol of peaceful protest for some, and a highly controversial figure in the social and political landscape for others.

You don’t have to agree with Kaepernick’s philosophical — or physical — stance to agree that he's met the criteria for the Ambassador of Conscience Award.

Standing — or sitting, or kneeling — for what you believe in takes courage, especially in the face of great resistance. After many teams had the opportunity to pick him up, Kaepernick still remains jobless with the NFL. He has been the target of the president of the United States, who referred to protesting players as a “son of a bitch” and encouraged people to boycott games when players kneel or sit during the anthem. There’s no question he made enormous sacrifices in his career — and in the court of public opinion in a “spirit of activism.”

In doing so, he joins an elite group of activists around the world who have been recognized with Amnesty International. And no matter what people think of his method of protest, he has rightfully earned his place among them through his uncompromising stand, and unwavering dedication to fighting injustice.

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People are divided on Colin Kaepernick being named GQ's 'Citizen of the Year.'

Love him or hate him, he's a great example of good citizenry.

In its annual "Men of the Year" issue, GQ Magazine named former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick its "Citizen of the Year," and boyyyyy, do people have feelings about that.

As with all things related to Kaepernick, who rose to fame by leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance and later gained notoriety for his on-field protests of police brutality and racism, the reaction to the news was predictably polarizing.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

The reaction to GQ's announcement has been positive, for the most part.

Mat Elfring praised Kaepernick for donating "time and money to worthy causes" and for getting "people talking about police treatment of citizens."

"You may not agree with his actions during the National Anthem, but he got people talking. That's important," Elfring tweeted.

"Let's continue to shine a spotlight on how law enforcement has been infiltrated by white supremacists (according to the FBI)," tweeted Tariq Nasheed, referring to the agency's April 2015 counterterrorism policy guide.

"[Kaepernick's] movement is not just about football. It's about racial justice and equity for all of us," tweeted Simran Jeet Singh.

"Good job GQ," praised Luna Malbroux.

As with all things Kaepernick, however, the announcement was also met with some predictable right-wing backlash.

Conservative author and frequent Fox News guest Dan Bongino responded by calling Kaepernick an "imbecile." Right-wing activist Scott Presler said he is "proudly and unabashedly NOT a GQ citizen." Ainsley Earhardt of "Fox and Friends" asked why GQ would pick Kaepernick and not, say, "the veterans that have lost their legs, their limbs, their lives fighting for our country."

Beyond the magazine cover, GQ laid out just why Kaepernick is so deserving of the "Citizen of the Year" title — with a little help from his friends.

The article, "Colin Kaepernick Will Not Be Silenced," is a masterful display of photojournalism paired with comments delivered in the style of an oral history. Kaepernick, interestingly enough, is not among the quoted, and for a very good reason. The story's authors write that "as his public identity has begun to shift from football star to embattled activist, he has grown wise to the power of his silence."

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Women's March co-chair Tamika D. Mallory, former Kaepernick teammate Eric Reid, artist and activist Harry Belafonte, rapper J. Cole, and more tell the story of Colin Kaepernick and his impact on the world as you've never heard it before.

DuVernay calls Kaepernick's activism a form of "art," saying that she believes "art is seeing the world that doesn't exist."

"A lot of people excel at creativity — making TV, movies, painting, writing books — but you can be an artist in your own life. Civil rights activists are artists. Athletes are artists. People who imagine something that is not there. I think some folks see his protests, his resistance, as not his work. Not intentional. Not strategic. Not as progressive action. As if this was just a moment that he got caught up in. This was work. This is work that he's doing."

Kaepernick's detractors cling to a very one-dimensional caricature of him as a snobby, ungrateful, multi-millionaire malcontent, but it's simply not accurate.

Kaepernick's jersey sales skyrocketed around the start of his protest during the 2016 season. He quickly announced plans to donate all royalties he received on those sales to charitable organizations working in oppressed communities.

Additionally, he pledged to donate $100,000 to various charitable groups each month for 10 months — $1 million in total. Kaepernick set up a website where people could hold him accountable, detailing which groups received money, how much they got, and what they planned to use it on.

Money went to organizations such as immigration advocacy organization United We Dream; Phoenix's anti-prison privatization group, American Friends Service Committee; and Life After Hate, an organization dedicated to helping former members of white supremacist groups reintegrate into society. He also started the Know Your Rights Camp to help empower and educate people, especially when interacting with law enforcement.

Whether you love him, hate him, or feel ambivalent about Colin Kaepernick as a quarterback or activist, you can't deny that he's having a big impact on the world.

He took a knee — not in protest of the flag, the anthem, the military, or law enforcement, but to shine a light on the very real racism that exists in this country and the very real injustices faced by so many without an NFL-sized platform to speak from.

He is doing what he can to make the world a better, fairer place through both his actions and words. Patriotism isn't pretending that the country's problems don't exist, it's acknowledging and addressing the ones that do.

For that, Colin Kaepernick is a model citizen in his own right.

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No, players aren't 'protesting the anthem.' Fox News' Shep Smith explains perfectly.

It's not the anthem or the flag they're against; it's that we're not living up to the ideals they represent.

Whatever the topic, you can count on Fox News' Shep Smith to tell it like it is, and Trump's feud with the NFL is no exception.

While interviewing Politico's Rachael Bade during Monday's edition of "Shepard Smith Reporting," Smith stated what's obvious to many: The outrage from Trump and his base isn't about the flag, anthem, or military.

In recent days, a slew of news organizations (including Smith's colleagues at Fox) have claimed that the protests started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick were examples of players "protesting the national anthem," completely obscuring what's actually being protested — racism and injustice.

Smith used his show to correct that record.

[rebelmouse-image 19531707 dam="1" original_size="450x248" caption=""They're not protesting the national anthem. That's not what they're doing." GIFs from MMFA/Twitter." expand=1]"They're not protesting the national anthem. That's not what they're doing." GIFs from MMFA/Twitter.

"They're upset about racial injustice in the country, and they're upset about the things that the president has said."

In August 2016, Kaepernick explained the genesis of the protest. He and his fellow players are not protesting the flag or the anthem but, rather, the fact that we as a country are not living up to the ideals the flag is supposed to represent.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media at the time. "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."

"We're complicit," Smith said, acknowledging the way his own network helped muddle the meaning of Kaepernick's protest.

Smith points to Trump, his base, and Trump-friendly media organizations as the source of the uproar, twisting the actual issue being protested to distract from the fact that he's actually had a somewhat disastrous first eight months as president.

Policy-wise, not much has actually gotten done, Smith pointed out, so there's a need to ramp up phony wars with the press and with the NFL to frame him as a victim:

"It’s very clear that for [Trump's] base, this is the red meat of all red meat. Because they’re able to reframe this. They’re able to say, 'Oh, they’re attacking the national anthem, they’re attacking the troops. They’re attacking the flag.'

None of which they’re doing. They’re not doing any of that. They’re upset about racial injustice in the country and they’re upset about the things that the president has said — and yet he’s able to turn it around for his base. Isn’t this all a play to his base and could it possibly be so that they don’t notice there is no health care and North Korea’s the biggest mess since the Cold War?"

So thanks, Shep Smith, for being a the voice of reason here and always keeping it 💯. Watch his clip below.

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