Chiding NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's "foolish statements" after his national anthem protest, the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) has called on the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL to denounce Kaepernick and "separate [themselves] from his actions."
"Mr. Kaepernick has embarrassed himself, the 49er organization, and the NFL based on a false narrative and misinformation that lacks any factual basis," SFPOA President Martin Halloran wrote in a letter to 49ers President/CEO Jed York, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Kaepernick.
"...While the SFPOA acknowledges Mr. Kaepernick's right to speak his point of view and we stand by that, we also recognize your organization's ability to denounce his foolish statements and separate yourself from his actions."
Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem before his preseason game this past weekend, telling the media afterward it was in protest.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," said Kaepernick, whose father was black and whose birth mother and adoptive parents were white. "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."
The last part of that statement is what most irked the SFPOA.
"Not only does he show an incredible lack of knowledge regarding our profession and 'officer involved' shootings, but also show a naivety and total lack of sensitivity towards police officers," Halloran wrote. "Ironically it is those officers who on numerous occasions have protected Mr. Kaepernick and have ensured that the venues where the NFL holds its events are fully protected.
"I only wish Mr. Kaepernick could see the emotional and psychological challenges that our officers face following a fatal encounter. Some are so affected they never return to the streets."
Mr. Halloran's letter attacked Kaepernick's facts in addition to his sensitivity.
"Perhaps Mr. Kaepernick could comment on the murder of 40 police officers in the United States in the past few months, or the assaults perpetrated on over 100,000 law enforcement officers in the past year," his letter stated. "Perhaps he could lend his commentary to the over 8,000 murders that African Americans inflicted on one another in 2015.
"The law enforcement community cannot be continuously blamed for all of society's problems, including racial divide, in our country. It isn't fair and it isn't true."
Neither the 49ers nor the NFL have denounced Kaepernick's statements. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy's statement Saturday was "players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem."
Without a denouncement of Kaepernick's statements or separating from his actions by the 49ers and the NFL...
"Until then we hope your organizations choose to do the right thing and at least apologize to the many police officers Mr. Kaepernick has disrespected for no apparent reason," the letter concluded.