Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has always been forthright expressing his opinion on important social issues. Wednesday's pre-camp media session was no exception.
When asked about 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality, Kerr delivered a strong, yet nuanced perspective:
"No matter what side of the spectrum you’re on, I would hope that every American is disgusted with what is going on around the country,” Kerr said, according to The Mercury News. “What just happened in Tulsa two days ago, Terence Crutcher…
"Doesn’t matter what side you’re on in the Kaepernick stuff, you’d better be disgusted with the things that are happening."
Kerr added that while the manner in which Kaepernick decided to protest might not sit well with everyone, it should be commended:
"So I understand people who are offended by his stance–maybe they have a military family members who is offended or maybe they lost somebody in a war and that flag or the anthem means a lot more to them than someone else.
"But you flip it around and what about non-violent protest? That’s America, this is what our country is about, it’s non-violent protest. It’s what it should be about."
While many have focused just Kaepernick's gesture, Kerr went further. He discussed the underlying issue that elicited the protest in the first place, which others have avoided to do. He also acknowledged that he expects something similar to the NFL protests to happen in the NBA once the season starts, something the league and players' union are preparing for already.
It's clear by now that Kerr is not afraid to speak his mind on important issues that affect the country. Following the Orlando shootings in June, Kerr said it was "insane" that there wasn't more gun control in the U.S.
"I kind of think that our forefathers would not have OK’d automatic weapons to be sold to everybody if they existed back then," Kerr said on a podcast hosted by The Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami. "Let’s have some checks. It’s easier to get a gun than it is to get a driver’s license. It’s insane."