Colin Kaepernick's first two "protests" drew scant attention. He sat on the bench, out of uniform, virtually unnoticed. His third got some buzz after a reporter tweeted a picture of the 49ers bench that had nothing to do with the quarterback but caught him in the frame, sitting during the national anthem.
Meanwhile, the killing of a 12-year-old boy by police and the light it shined on the Black Lives Matter movement helped draw a reluctant LeBron James into the world of using sports as a vehicle for social change. But once he got there, James stayed disciplined both about the message he sends and the way he sends it.
kAms6DA:E6 E96:C G2DE=J 5:G6C86?E >6E9@5D[ z26A6C?:4< 2?5 y2>6D 96=A65 D6E 2 DE2<6 :? E96 8C@F?5[ 564=2C:?8 E@ 2E9=6E6D 24C@DD 2== DA@CED E92E E96:C A=2E7@C>D 4@F=5 36 — D9@F=5 36 — FD65 7@C >@C6 E92? 7F? 2?5 82>6D :? E96 a`DE 46?EFCJ]k^Am
kAmz26A6C?:4<VD >6DD286 — Q@C82?:4Q E@ D@>6[ Q5:D@C82?:K65Q E@ @E96CD — DE2CE65 2 >@G6>6?E E92E 92D 6DD6?E:2==J =:?<65 E96 }u{ H:E9 <?66=:?8 :? 2 5C2>2E:4 DEC:?8 @7 6G6?ED E92E H:== A=2J @FE 7@C 2 7:?2= E:>6 E9:D D62D@?[ $F?52J 2E E96 $FA6C q@H=] y2>6D 92D 2=D@ >256 2? :>AC:?E E92?<D E@ E96 A@H6C @7 9:D @H? 3C2?5] (9@D6 >6E9@5 H@C<65 36EE6Cn %96 2?DH6C E@ E92E BF6DE:@? 7:8FC6D E@ 8F:56 E96 5:C64E:@? @7 DA@CED AC@E6DED 7@C E96 7@C6D6623=6 7FEFC6]k^Am
kAmQz26A6C?:4< 5:5?VE 8@ :?E@ :E <?@H:?8 H92E H2D 8@:?8 E@ 92AA6?] w6 H2D 5@:?8 H92E 96 E9@F89E H2D C:89E 3FE E9:D H2D ?@E D@>6E9:?8 96 6IA64E65[Q D2:5 AC@76DD@C s2?:6==6 r@@>3D @7 z6?E $E2E6[ H9@ DA64:2=:K6D :? E96 A@=:E:4D @7 DA@CED] Q~? E96 @E96C 92?5[ J@F 92G6 2E9=6E6D[ =:<6 {6qC@? y2>6D[ H9@ >2<6 DFC6 E96J 5@ :E :? 2 H2J E92E =6ED E96 >6DD286 C:D6 E@ E96 E@A]Qk^Am
kAmr@@>3D 2?5 s2G:5 r2D:==@ 4@\2FE9@C65 2 A2A6C :? E96 k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^;@FC?2=D]D286AF3]4@>^5@:^23D^`_]``ff^_`hbfabd`ff`heedQmy@FC?2= @7 $A@CE 2?5 $@4:2= xDDF6Dk^2m 46?E6C65 @? y2>6D[ H9@D6 AC64:D6[ 42=4F=2E65 3C2?5 @7 24E:G:D> AC6DD65 7@C 492?86[ 3FE :? 2 H2J E92E H@F=5 ?@E ?682E:G6=J 27764E E96 3@EE@> =:?6]k^Am
kAm%H@ J62CD 367@C6 z26A6C?:4<[ 2?5 EH@ 564256D 27E6C E96 D66>:?8=J 2A@=:E:42= |:4926= y@C52? @?46 C6A@CE65=J D2:5 #6AF3=:42?D 3FJ D9@6D[ E@@[ y2>6D 7@F?5 9:>D6=7 :? E96 >:55=6 @7 2 7:C6DE@C> :? E96 H2<6 @7 E96 <:==:?8 @7 `a\J62C\@=5 %2>:C #:46]k^Am
kAmy2>6D D2:5 G6CJ =:EE=6 23@FE E96 <:==:?8[ H9:49 @44FCC65 @?=J >:=6D 7C@> 9:D 9@>6E@H? @7 p<C@?[ ~9:@] w6 E@@< 962E 7@C 9:D C6=F4E2?46] qFE @G6C E96 6?DF:?8 J62CD[ 96 3C2?4965 @FE D=@H=J 2?5 42FE:@FD=J[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D H:E9 @E96CD 2E 9:D D:56] w6 ;@:?65 r2C>6=@ p?E9@?J[ r9C:D !2F= 2?5 sH2J?6 (256 2E E96 k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]J@FEF36]4@>^H2E49nGldvtd_6gH828Qma_`e t$!*Dk^2m 2?5 82G6 2 H6==\C646:G65 DA6649 42==:?8 7@C 2? 6?5 E@ 8F? G:@=6?46]k^Am
kAm%96 DA6649 H2D 2 H6==\E9@F89E\@FE[ H6==\@C82?:K65 >6DD286 E:>65 7@C >2I:>F> :>A24E[ 2D H2D $E6A9 rFCCJVD k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E96A=2J6CDEC:3F?6]4@>^DE6A96?\4FCCJ\G6E6C2?D\52J^Qm:>A2DD:@?65 5676?D6k^2m @7 E96 DE2?46 E92E z26A6C?:4< 2?5 @E96CD 925 E2<6? @? :DDF6D C2?8:?8 7C@> D:EE:?8 5FC:?8 E96 ?2E:@?2= 2?E96>[ E@ E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 D9@H:?8 E62> F?:EJ E@ 7@C68@:?8 (9:E6 w@FD6 G:D:ED]k^Am
kAmQx7 xV> 8@:?8 E@ FD6 >J A=2E7@C>[ x 5@?VE H2?E E@ ;FDE 36 ?@:D6[Q rFCCJ HC@E6 :? 2 '6E6C2?D s2J 3=@8 @? %96 !=2J6CDV %C:3F?6 H63D:E6] Qx H2?E E@ E2=< 23@FE C62= :DDF6D E92E 2C6 27764E:?8 C62= A6@A=6]Qk^Am
kAm%96 >6E9@5D rFCCJ 2?5 y2>6D FD6 7@C 86EE:?8 @FE E96 >6DD286 H6C6 2=>@DE E96 6I24E @AA@D:E6 @7 z26A6C?:4<VD] %FC?D @FE[ z26A6C?:4< >256 >@C6 9625=:?6D[ 3FE 2=D@ 3642>6 >@C6 GF=?6C23=6 E@ 9:D >6DD286 86EE:?8 =@DE @C 5:DE@CE65 5F6 E@ E96 E:>:?8 2?5 D@>6 @7 9:D @H? D6=7\:?7=:4E65 k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^DA@CED^?7=^=2\DA\4@=:?\<26A6C?:4<\D@4<D\a_`e_h_`\D?2A\9E>=DE@CJ]9E>=QmD:56D9@HDk^2m ]k^Am
kAm$@>6 >2J D2J E92E 3J ?@E 36:?8 42=4F=2E:?8 2?5 3J A=2J:?8 7C@> E96 962CE[ z26A6C?:4< D6?E 2 ECF6C >6DD286] w6 2=D@ 324<65 :E FA 3J k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^<26A6C?:4<f]4@>^>:==:@?\5@==2C\A=6586^QmC2:D:?8 S` >:==:@?k^2m 7@C 492C:EJ — >F49 4@>:?8 :? S`_[___ :?4C6>6?ED 7C@> 46=63C:E:6D 2?5 DA@CED DE2CD]k^Am
kAmqFE H2D :E >@C6 67764E:G6n r2? :E 36 C6A62E65nk^Am
kAmQ~?6 @7 E96 <6JD 7@C 2E9=6E6D :D E92E E96J A:4< >@>6?ED :? E:>6 E@ >2<6 DFC6 E96:C >6DD286 C6D@?2E6D[Q D2:5 >2C<6E:?8 6IA6CE y@6 u2G@C:E@] Qr6CE2:?=J[ :E 92D 364@>6 62D:6C 7@C A6@A=6 E@ DE2CE 2 AC@46DD] qFE :EVD 364@>6 >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ 7@==@H E9C@F89 H:E9 :E] %96D6 52JD[ F?=6DD J@F 92G6 E96 3:886DE DE286[ J@FVC6 4@>A6E:?8 282:?DE E9@FD2?5D @7 @E96C A6@A=6] xEVD ?@E ?646DD2C:=J 2E9=6E6D] xE 42? 36 2?J@?6]Qk^Am
kAm%96 }u{ H2D F?AC6A2C65 7@C E96 AC@E6DED[ E9@F89 2 7:G6\A286 >6>@ :? `hee HC:EE6? 3J 2 J@F?8 3=24< =628F6 6I64FE:G6 E@ E96? r@>>:DD:@?6C !6E6 #@K6==6 AC65:4E65 E9:D 4@F=5 92AA6?] %96 >6>@[ H9:49 42? 36 C625 :? :ED 6?E:C6EJ @? k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E96F?56762E65]4@>^762EFC6D^`hee\>6>@\@3D6CG2E:@?D\@?\E96\?7=\2?5\?68C@\A=2J6CD^QmE96F?56762E65]4@>k^2m [ H2C?65 E92E 2 E62> C6=62D:?8 2 3=24< A=2J6C H9@V5 366? @FEDA@<6? @? 4:G:= C:89ED :DDF6D 4@F=5 DA2C< >2;@C AC@E6DED]k^Am
kAm}@H 6G6? >@C6 E92? E96?[ 76H A=2E7@C>D 8C23 2D >2?J 6J632==D 2D E92E @7 E96 }u{] p?5 ?@ =628F6 5C2A6D :ED6=7 :? E96 p>6C:42? 7=28 BF:E6 =:<6 E96 }u{] %92EVD EH@ C62D@?D z26A6C?:4<VD 86DEFC6 925 =68D]k^Am
kAm(96? !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A E@@< @? E96 =628F6 E9:D D62D@?[ 4C:E:4:K:?8 E9@D6 H9@ 7@==@H65 z26A6C?:4<VD =625[ E96 5632E6 3642>6 >F=E:AC@?865[ H:E9 A=2J6CD[ 2?5 6G6? D@>6 @H?6CD[ 32?5:?8 E@86E96C E@ D9@H E96J H@F=5 ?@E 36 AFD965 2C@F?5 3J E96 AC6D:56?E]k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ %' C2E:?8D C6>2:?65 7=2E] $@>6 72?D EF?65 @FE 2?5 DE2J65 2H2J[ 6?C2865 3J H92E E96J A6C46:G65 2D 5:DC6DA64E E@ E96 7=28[ E96 >:=:E2CJ 2?5 p>6C:42? G2=F6D]k^Am
kAmz26A6C?:4<VD @C:8:?2= >6DD286 8@E >:I65 :? H:E9 D6G6C2= @E96CD] #682C5=6DD[ >:5H2J E9C@F89 E96 D62D@?[ E96 }u{ C62=:K65 :E 925 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8] p7E6C >F=E:A=6 >66E:?8D H:E9 A=2J6C C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D[ E96 =628F6 2??@F?465 :E H2D 7F??6=:?8 k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^e53d4h2h_g_7cf4f334ccb65f4e3b3eh^}u{\4@>>:EE:?8\Sh_\>:==:@?\E@\D@4:2=\;FDE:46\42FD6DQmSh_ >:==:@? :?E@ D@4:2= ;FDE:46k^2m :DDF6D E92E 2C6 :>A@CE2?E E@ A=2J6CD] yFDE =2DE H66<[ :E =2F?4965 k2 E2C86ElQU>52D9j3=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]?7=]4@>^=6ED=:DE6?E@86E96CQm{6EVD {:DE6? %@86E96Ck^2m [ 2? :?:E:2E:G6 56D:8?65 E@ 255C6DD D@>6 @7 E96 A=2J6CDV >@DE FC86?E 4@?46C?D]k^Am
kAm%96 =2F?49 42>6 >6C6 52JD 367@C6 E96 $FA6C q@H=[ H96C6 Q%96 $E2C\$A2?8=65 q2??6C[Q 2=H2JD 2 3:8 562= 2E E96 E:E=6 82>6[ H:== 86E 6IEC2 2EE6?E:@? 7@C H92E A=2J6CD 49@@D6 E@ 5@ 2?5 ?@E 5@]k^Am
kAmz26A6C?:4<[ H9@ DE2CE65 :? E96 $FA6C q@H= 2 >6C6 7:G6 J62CD 28@[ H:== 36 ?@H96C6 ?62C E96 7:6=5 E9:D E:>6] }6G6CE96=6DD[ 9:D :>AC:?E H:== 36 76=E]k^Am
kAmQw6 C62=:K6D E92E D@>6@?6 92D E@ 36 2 D24C:7:4:2= =2>3 :? @C56C E@ D@F?5 E96 2=2C>[Q D2:5 y@9? r2C=@D[ H9@D6 C2:D65\7:DE D2=FE6 2=@?8 H:E9 %@>>:6 $>:E9 2E E96 `heg ~=J>A:4D DE2?5D 2D 2 D6>:?2= >@>6?E :? DA@CED AC@E6DE] Q%@ 92G6 A6@A=6 DE2CE 92G6 D@>6 D@CE @7 5:2=@8F6[ D@>6 D@CE @7 4@?G6CD2E:@?]Qk^Am
kAmz26A6C?:4<VD @5JDD6J :==FDEC2E65 E96 4@?F?5CF> 2E9=6E6D 7:?5 E96>D6=G6D :? 2E E96 DE2CE @7 a_`gi }@3@5J 92D E96 A6C764E 2?DH6C 7@C H92E 86DEFC6 — H96E96C 42=4F=2E65 @C 4@>A=6E6=J :>AC@G:D65 — >:89E >2<6 E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? 42AEFC:?8 2 @?6\52J ?6HD 4J4=6 G6CDFD DA2C<:?8 2 >@G6>6?E]k^Am
kAm———k^Am
kAmp! $A@CED (C:E6C !2E vC292> 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am
kAm———k^Am
kAmtsx%~#V$ }~%ti p7C:42?\p>6C:42? 2E9=6E6D 92G6 FD65 E96:C DA@CED A=2E7@C>D 7@C >@C6 E92? `__ J62CD E@ :>A24E D@4:2= 2?5 A@=:E:42= 492?86] pD A2CE @7 p!VD 4@G6C286 A=2?D 7@C q=24< w:DE@CJ |@?E9[ H6 H:== E2<6 2 >F=E:A=2E7@C> =@@< 2E 9@H >2?J 92G6 2?5 4@?E:?F6 E@ 6?8286 :? 24E:G:D>[ 7C@> y24< y@9?D@?[ E@ |F92>>25 p=: E@ r@=:? z26A6C?:4<]k^Am
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.