Colin Kaepernick Accepts ACLU Advocacy Award: ‘We all Have an Obligation’

In what has become a regular occurrence for the world’s most famous unemployed athlete, Colin Kaepernick has accepted another award.

Kaepernick accepted an advocacy award from the ACLU in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

In accepting the award, Kaepernick said, “We all have an obligation no matter the risk, and regardless of reward, to stand up for our fellow men and women who are being oppressed with the understanding that human rights cannot be compromised.”

The former 49er and original anthem-protester accepted the East Monroe Courageous Advocate Award, during the ACLU’s annual Bill of Rights Dinner in Beverly Hills.

Hector Villagra, Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California, said that Kaepernick won the award because he “took a stand knowing he would risk his job.”

Villagra said, “He has lost his job, one that he loved and was supremely talented and skilled at. He took a stand knowing that some would criticize him, and he has been viciously and unfairly criticized. He has been called a traitor because too many people in this country confuse dissent for disloyalty.”

Kaepernick has rarely made public appearances or comments since walking away from his contract with the 49ers.

However, since walking away from the league, Kaepernick has racked-up quite the array of social justice rewards. GQ named Kaepernick its “Citizen of the Year” in November. Just last week, SI bestowed its Muhammad Ali Legacy Award for remaining “steadfast in his fight for social justice and committed to his beliefs no matter the cost.”

The ACLU award represents Kaepernick’s third such award in less than a full month.

Not to mention, the NFL recently committed to spending nearly $90 million on social justice causes. Largely, due to pressure applied from players who have continued Kaepernick’s anthem protests in his absence.