Ruth Bader Ginsburg skewers Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest as 'stupid,' 'arrogant'

(Image credit: Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

published 10 October 2016

Liberal hero and Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has no tolerance for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other athletes who are taking a knee during the national anthem in protest of America's treatment of minorities. In an interview with Katie Couric, the Bill Clinton-appointed Justice called Kaepernick's protests "dumb and disrespectful."

When asked by Couric how she feels about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and other athletes, refusing to stand for the anthem, Ginsburg replied, "I think it's really dumb of them.""Would I arrest them for doing it? No," Ginsburg elaborated. "I think it's dumb and disrespectful. I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning. I think it's a terrible thing to do, but I wouldn't lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act."Couric then asked, "But when it comes to these football players, you may find their actions offensive, but what you're saying is, it's within their rights to exercise those actions?""Yes," said Ginsburg. "If they want to be stupid, there's no law that should be preventive. If they want to be arrogant, there's no law that prevents them from that. What I would do is strongly take issue with the point of view that they are expressing when they do that." [Yahoo]

For his part, President Obama has defended Kaepernick's protests. "My understanding is that he is exercising his constitutional right to make a statement, and there is a long history of sports figures doing so," Obama said.