Outspoken NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has never registered to vote in any election, the Sacramento Bee reported, unusual news considering how much national attention he gained during his protest of racial inequality this summer.
Kaepernick, who plays for the San Francisco 49ers, sat for the national anthem starting in August because he refused to "show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."
The football player said last week he did not vote in the 2016 election because he was against "oppression" and it would have been hypocritical of him to do so.
"I said from the beginning I was against oppression; I was against the system of oppression," Kaepernick told the paper. "I'm not going to show support for that system. And to me, the oppressor isn't going to allow you to vote your way out of your oppression."
He was lambasted for his decision.
"He comes across as a flaming hypocrite," ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith said.
"After all this noise that you made, even though you didn't intend to do so, by offending our military servicemen and women . . . to turn around and not to even take your behind to the polls to vote for a particular candidate — it is shameful! Absolutely shameful."
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