Nate Boyer, the former Green Beret-turned-long-snapper who tried out for the NFL last season, has been listening to the nationwide debate ignited by Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest, with "listen" being the operative word, as he emphasized in a poignant open letter to the 49ers quarterback Tuesday.
Boyer urged everyone else to try to be open-minded about the underlying message.
"I’m not judging you for standing up for what you believe in. It’s your inalienable right," Boyer wrote to Kaepernick for the military periodical Army Times. "What you are doing takes a lot of courage, and I’d be lying if I said I knew what it was like to walk around in your shoes. I’ve never had to deal with prejudice because of the color of my skin, and for me to say I can relate to what you’ve gone through is as ignorant as someone who’s never been in a combat zone telling me they understand what it’s like to go to war.
"Even though my initial reaction to your protest was one of anger, I’m trying to listen to what you’re saying and why you’re doing it."
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Kaepernick has been sitting while his teammates stand during "The Star-Spangled Banner" this NFL preseason in an attempt to bring about change in "a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He said he plans to continue to sit until that's achieved, however long it takes.
"Ultimately it's to bring awareness and make people realize what's going on in this country," Kaepernick said, in part, during an 18-minute news conference Sunday explaining his actions. "There are a lot of things going on that are unjust, people aren't being held accountable for, and that's something that needs to change.
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"Cops are getting paid leave for killing people. That's not right. That's not right by anyone's standards."
Though his intentions were just, Kaepernick's means and subsequent comments were not universally applauded, including by NFL players past and present. While many have stood by the quarterback, others questioned whether he was disrespecting the American flag and, by association, the armed forces.
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Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva, a former Army Ranger, was one of those who disagreed with Kaepernick, saying, "I don't know if the most effective way is to sit down during the national anthem with a country that's providing you freedom, providing you $16 million a year ... when there are black minorities that are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan for less than $20,000 a year."
Other veterans are standing in solidarity with Kaepernick under the hashtag #VeteransforKapernick, which started trending on Twitter on Tuesday night.
Boyer, who served multiple tours overseas as a staff sergeant in the Green Berets, finds himself somewhere in the middle. He played three years of college football at the University of Texas before attempting to make an NFL roster as a 34-year-old rookie. His story was well-told as he tried out for the 49ers and Seahawks, though he was cut after one exhibition game.
STEELE: It's Kaepernick's anthem and flag, too
Boyer wrote he doesn't necessarily agree with Kaepernick sitting for the anthem, but he's attempting to use his unique perspective as a veteran and football player to understand the reasons behind it.
"There are already plenty people fighting fire with fire, and it’s just not helping anyone or anything. So I’m just going to keep listening, with an open mind," he wrote. "I look forward to the day you’re inspired to once again stand during our national anthem. I’ll be standing right there next to you. Keep on trying … De Oppresso Liber."
