As America continues to reflect on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it is notable to remember that she was not a supporter of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protests during the national anthem.
In 2016, when the former San Francisco 49ers second-string quarterback first began taking a knee in protest against the country during the playing of the national anthem, Ginsburg said that she felt the player’s protest was “dumb.”
“I think it’s really dumb of them,” Ginsburg said of Kaepernick’s protests during an interview with Katie Couric in October of 2016.
“Would I arrest them for doing it? No,” Ginsburg continued. “I think it’s dumb and disrespectful. I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning. I think it’s a terrible thing to do, but I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act.”
Couric pressed the justice on the matter, reminding Ginsburg that the players were within their rights to make such protests.
But Ginsburg was undeterred. In fact, she upped the ante from “dumb” to “stupid” to describe Kaepernick and the other players who protest by taking a knee during the anthem.
“Yes,” said Ginsburg said of such protests. “If they want to be stupid, there’s no law that should be preventive. If they want to be arrogant, there’s no law that prevents them from that. What I would do is strongly take issue with the point of view that they are expressing when they do that.”
As the liberal press waxes eloquent over the life of Justice Ginsburg, this comment is probably one they will conveniently forget to include in their hagiographies.
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