Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant has shown herself more than willing to jump into highly charged debates, but May 19 she took up a cause unusual even for her.
Sawant issued a press release calling for billionaire Paul Allen and Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll to sign former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is now a free agent.
While admitting early that she is “not a football expert,” Sawant argued that the reason Kaepernick remains unsigned is the fact that he used his platform to protest police brutality against the Black community by kneeling during the national anthem at games.
“If that makes other teams wary of signing him, shame on them. In Seattle, we know our communities will only benefit from his activism as well as his talents on the field,” Sawant wrote.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC
Read the full May 24 issue.