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Kelly Stafford, who is married to Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, published an Instagram submit apologizing for criticizing ex-San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Colin Kaepernick for kneeling as a create of hiss in opposition to systemic racism, social injustice and police brutality at some stage within the nationwide anthem.
“When Kaepernick knelt at some stage within the nationwide anthem, I had worthy feelings about it,” Kelly Stafford wrote. “Even when he saved pronouncing it had nothing to invent with the flag or navy, I didn’t hear. I saved now not being attentive to him or any individual else and let the political rhetoric persuade me that him kneeling turned into disrespectful to our navy.
“Over the final several months, I essentially occupy opened my ears, mind, and heart and it has opened my eyes to eye how depraved I turned into and for that I’m sorry.”
In 2017, she implored of us to face for the anthem in an Instagram submit, which acknowledged the following in piece:
“… I imagine we can stand and show our unity in opposition to the full lot that does now not express what this flag stands for. Let’s stand united in opposition to terrorists, in opposition to racism, in opposition to white supremacists, in opposition to killing of police officers, in opposition to police brutality, in opposition to sex slave trafficking.. in opposition to the rest that’s now not the appropriate for this nation.
Let’s unite within the real fact that God made us all irregular and diverse and that’s one thing we must take care of.”
In Saturday’s submit, Stafford concluded:
“This systematic racism is now not going away except we ALL work on it by engaged on ourselves and people around us. It’s time for everyone to invent their piece to attend close this scheme.
“Matthew and I thought this turned into a glorious space to begin. We’re proud to be a part of this program and we can sustain combating to attend close this social injustice. Dark Lives Topic.“
As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press illustrious, Kelly and Matthew Stafford lately donated $350,000 to their alma mater, the College of Georgia, to fund a social justice program for scholar-athletes.
Kaepernick has been out of the NFL since 2016, the yr when he started his protests. Diverse athletes occupy since adopted swimsuit, to the point the keep anthem protests became normal at some stage in NBA games amid their most up-to-date restart in Walt Disney World with regards to Orlando, Florida.
Kneeling has also taken space at some stage in protests around the nation and world within the fight for social justice.
The 49ers parted methods with Kaepernick after a yr which seen the ex-Nevada megastar epic for 18 touchdowns (16 passing, two speeding) versus appropriate four interceptions. Over six seasons within the league, he executed 59.8 p.c of his passes for 72 touchdowns and 30 picks besides to 2,300 speeding yards and 13 extra scores on the bottom.
