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Kaepernick accuses white adoptive parents of problems with his upbringing, embracing black side

March 10, 2023 | | Print Article

Former NFL star turned racial grievance monger Colin Kaepernick has accused his white adoptive parents of raising him in a “problematic” and essentially racist way.

Speaking with CBS News this week to promote his new graphic novel, the proud racial grievance monger claimed as a kid he had sometimes received pushback from his white parents when he’d tried to embrace his black side.

“I know my parents loved me, but there were still very problematic things that I went through,” he said.

He went on to describe one instance in which he’d wanted to get cornrows, which is a black hairstyle, but his mother had pushed back, calling them “unprofessional” and warning that they’d make him look like “a little thug.”

“I think it was important to show, ‘No, this can happen in your own home.’ And how do we move forward collectively while addressing the racism that is being perpetuated,” Kaepernick told CBS News.

Listen:

The interview coincides with the release of his new graphic novel, “Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game.”

“Geared toward young adults, the graphic novel reveals the early years of Kaepernick’s life before he became a professional athlete and made headlines by taking a knee during the national anthem, sparking a movement within the NFL to protest police brutality and racial injustice,” according to CBS News.

It’s the second book he’s written.

The first one, “I Color Myself Different,” is a children’s book that was published last year.

“When Colin Kaepernick was five years old, he was given a simple school assignment: draw a picture of yourself and your family. What young Colin does next with his brown crayon changes his whole world and worldview, providing a valuable lesson on embracing and celebrating his Black identity through the power of radical self-love and knowing your inherent worth,” the book’s Amazon page description reads.

“I Color Myself Different is a joyful ode to Black and Brown lives based on real events in young Colin’s life that is perfect for every reader’s bookshelf. It’s a story of self-discovery, staying true to one’s self, and advocating for change… even when you’re very little!” the description continues.

In an NPR interview aired around the time of the book’s publication, Kaepernick recalled using a yellow crayon to draw his family but a brown crayon to draw himself.

“It’s the first documented instance that I have in my life of definitively identifying as brown. And laying the foundation for my identity as black,” he said.

While some of what Kaepernick has written and said is understandable, many critics nevertheless take issue with his obsession with the color of his skin and with his publicly attacking his white adoptive parents.

Observe:

Kaepernick was born on Nov. 3rd, 1987 to Heidi Russo, a white woman. His dad was a black man whose identity is unknown, as he’d separated from Russo prior to the future NFL star’s birth.

Interestingly, he’s publicly attacked his biological mother as well, telling folks that he refuses to meet with her.

“It’s not really a respect thing. It’s just — [my adopted family in Wisconsin is] my family. That’s it,” he told ESPN in 2013.

Vivek Saxena
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