President Obama said Monday that NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick was "exercising his constitutional right" to bring attention to racial injustice by not taking part in the national anthem at the start of San Francisco 49ers football games.
The flag and anthem hold so much meaning for many men and women in uniform and others who have defended the country that the style of Kaepernick's protest may make it difficult for them to "hear what his deeper concerns are," Obama said.
But he also said Kaepernick “cares about some real legitimate issues that need to be talked about.
He’s generated some more conversation around topics that need to be talked about.”