During Tuesday’s “College Football Live” on ESPN, radio host Paul Finebaum reacted to Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh’s criticism of his former quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to not stand during the national anthem as an act of protest.
Finebaum got into a heated exchange with ESPN analyst Joey Galloway over Kaepernick’s protest.
“I think it’s totally disrespectful to sit,” Finebaum said. “And others have said it and will continue to say it, for the men and women that have given their lives for this country. Having said that, I think Colin has every right to do whatever he wants, and that’s what makes America the country that it is. Disrespectful, yes, but well within his rights.”
“It is very easy to say I disagree with doing it at that time, but I don’t know that there’s a better time that would catch the eye of America and say ‘There’s something we need to talk about here,'” Galloway responded. “And not just focused on the fact he said that, but more focused on the reason why he did it.”
Finebaum later added, “Usually people protest when they’ve been oppressed, when they have a legitimate stake in the action. I don’t know where Colin is coming from. What’s his beef with society, other than he’s upset with how the way people, in his mind, are being oppressed in this country?”
On his Monday radio show, Finebaum said, “[T]his country has issues, but this country is not oppressing black people.”
(h/t Awful Announcing)
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