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Colin Kaepernick鈥檚 refusal to stand during the US national anthem in a National Football League (NFL) pre-season game Friday to protest racial injustice has the web divided.

Teammates, league officials, and some columnists praised the San Francisco 49ers quarterback鈥檚 courage. But, other athletes and fans lambasted Mr. Kaepernick for disrespecting those who have sacrificed their lives, citing Kaepernick鈥檚 $19 million average yearly salary.

Sports columnist Ian O鈥機onnor, in his celebration on ESPN.com of Kaepernick鈥檚 actions, wrote the mixed response the quarterback has received is a window into the state of the country.

Before the start of the pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers Friday, Kaepernick sat on the bench during "The Star Spangled Banner鈥� rather than stand attention alongside his teammates. 聽After Pro Football Talk first reported Kaepernick sat during the anthem, the quarterback explained himself in an interview with NFL Media. 聽

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick said after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Kaepernick said he wasn鈥檛 afraid of any repercussions.

鈥淚f they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed.鈥�

The NFL issued a statement that said players are encouraged but not required to stand during the national anthem.

The team and its head coach, Chip Kelly, respected Kaepernick鈥檚 decision.

"The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony," the 49ers said in a statement. "In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem."

Much of Twitter didn鈥檛 agree. Many said Kaepernick acted insensitively and is unpatriotic. Some current and former athletes touched on the heart of those reactions.

Kaepernick isn鈥檛 the first NFL player to use the game to make a statement about the Black Lives Matter movement. Two seasons ago, Reggie Bush, a player on the Detroit Lions, wrote on a warm up T-shirt 鈥淚 can鈥檛 breathe,鈥� in reference to Garner鈥檚 final words before he died in police custody.聽 The same season, players on the St. Louis Rams entered the stadium for a home game with their hands raised, referencing the 鈥淗ands up, don鈥檛 shoot鈥� slogan of protesters in nearby Ferguson, Mo. But, a political statement during the national anthem has historically touched a nerve for many.

That was the response National Basketball Association (NBA) player Mahmoud Abdul Rauf received when he refused to stand attention during 鈥淭he Star Spangled Banner鈥� before a game in 1996.

The Mississippi born Mr. Abdul Rauf, who changed his name from Chris Jackson when he converted to Islam, said the anthem is a 鈥渟ymbol of oppression, of tyranny.鈥� The Denver Nuggets player received death threats, and set off protests directed against Muslims in the Denver area. 聽

After the NBA first suspended Abdul Rauf, he and the league reached an agreement: he would pray to Allah silently during the anthem.

Another NFL player, Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles, has been outspoken about the racial injustices he sees, but doesn鈥檛 see sitting as the right way for Kaepernick to stand up for this cause.

This report contains material from the Associated Press and Reuters.聽