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Kaepernick's parents break silence, support their son

Jasen Vinlove / USA TODAY Sports

After initially avoiding the spotlight that comes with a public statement, the parents of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick are now speaking out in support of their son's decision to kneel during the national anthem.

"When Colin first 'took a knee,' his family was as surprised as anyone," explained Teresa and Rick Kaepernick in a statement to The Undefeated on Friday. "We did not understand why he was doing this and were overwhelmed with the public reaction and hate.

"Colin is carrying a heavy load and following a difficult path that he truly believes in. He is putting his entire future and possibly his life on the line for those beliefs," the statement read. "As his parents, it pains us to read articles and tweets saying that his family does not support him; this could not be further from the truth. We want people to know that we are very proud of our son and admire his strength and courage in kneeling for the rights of others."

The Kaepernicks also explained just how bad the backlash became after the quarterback began his protest earlier this season.

"Colin not only received terrible racist tweets, but also received letters directly to our home similar to that recently received by (Denver Broncos linebacker) Brandon Marshall. We were truly shocked at the amount of racist hatred out there! Until this had occurred, we had naively believed that the racial atmosphere in this country was far better than it actually is. Prayer and talks with our son gave us a much better understanding of the reason for his protest and how we should view it."

The choice to step forward now was at least partially inspired by the comments from U.S. Pacific Command Commander Admiral Harry Harris, who took an obvious shot at Kaepernick during a Pearl Harbor anniversary event this week.

"Colin has chosen to kneel for the national anthem as a protest to the continuing racial inequality in this country," the statement read. "He has explained his reasons for this in multiple interviews, yet it seems some people still do not understand his point. For whatever reason, there are some who want to view this as an anti-military protest or an un-American stance. These views could not be further from the truth, but we know that people will believe what they wish to believe. The recent remarks (attacks) by Admiral Harris supported by the Pentagon are over the top, and we feel the desire to make a public statement in support of our son."

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