SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Colin Kaepernick is standing behind his decision not to vote in the presidential election or even register to take part in the democratic process, saying he can effect change in other ways besides through a ballot.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has knelt through the national anthem all season to protest police brutality and the treatment of minorities, drawing criticism and acclaim alike. He took more heat for not voting last week.
“I thought a lot of different things about the process and what I could and couldn’t do,” he said Tuesday. “Once again, the system of oppression is what I have an issue with. … I don’t agree with the system of oppression and that’s something that I will continue to not agree with.”
For those wondering why he chose not to vote even on local issues that could influence what happens at home in the Bay Area, Kaepernick said, “There’s more than one way to create change.”
“I’m comfortable with everything that I’m saying, what I represent and who I am,” he said of his growth into an outspoken activist, given how much he once disliked speaking publicly. “At that point in time, there was a situation where I didn’t feel comfortable talking because I didn’t want my words used against me and now I know if I represent my words properly, what my stance is, who I am properly, that those words can’t be used against me.”