Barack Obama defends NFL player who won’t stand for anthem as jersey sales soar

With his silent gestures of protest, Kaepernick intends to keep drawing attention to a litany of American problems.

The refusal of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to stand for the American anthem has unleashed a wave of controversy and debate.

At the weekend, while a naval officer sang the first notes of The Star-Spangled Banner and dozens of military personnel unfurled an oversized flag on the football field, Colin Kaepernick dropped to one knee on the 49ers' sideline.