Former NFL Player and United States Army Green Beret Nate Boyer spoke with Henry Lake on WCCO Radio about Colin Kaepernick and more. Boyer was well known for walking on at the University of Texas after his time in the army and never playing a down of organized football in his life.
Boyer spoke about how when Kaepernick originally protested it came out as him protesting the anthem. This was instead of his actual protest on police brutality that was happening in the country at the time.
Because of this when Boyer saw what Kaepernick was doing he fell victim to the narrative of the media. He thought that he hated America and found himself upset.
When Boyer wrote an open letter that was published in the Army Times on his thoughts about the protest Kaepernick was quick to reach out to him.
Boyer said that the two met to discuss the protest and Kaepernick's intentions. Boyer said that they talked for two hours in a hotel lobby about what he was doing it for and why.
“I had a much better understanding just in the first hour of talking to him about what this was about,” Boyer said. “I was like I totally get this and I support that.”
Boyer understood that Kaepernick wanted to bring attention to injustices that were plaguing the country.
But still, Kaepernick wanted to be respectful. He asked Boyer if there was another way that he could demonstrate without offending people in the military. Boyer told him that there is no way he wasn’t going to offend some people but he had his thoughts.
He suggested that Kaepernick kneel instead of sitting alone and isolated from his team. He told him that kneeling would instead be more respectful and show unity.
“I wasn't ever trying to tell him how to do anything, it was through him asking,” Boyer said.
Boyer mentions how recently it seems like people are slowly starting to open their minds and listen or speak out on injustices. He does think that a lot of people are doing it on social media due to pressure from others to post, but anything is better than nothing.
When it comes to protests today Boyer is glad to see people standing up for what they believe in peacefully and supports those who protest.
