Wisconsin Republicans remove Colin Kaepernick’s name from resolution

Republicans in Wisconsin sought and received the removal of Colin Kaepernick’s name from a resolution recognizing Black History Month.

The state legislature’s Black Caucus wrote the resolution, which recognized several black leaders, including Kaepernick. Kaepernick was born in Wisconsin before moving to California with his family when he was four.

Republican members of the state’s legislature did not like Kaepernick’s inclusion and amended the resolution to remove his name. State Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, a white male, said Kaepernick’s name had to be removed “for obvious reasons” because he is too controversial.

The Democrats then faced a decision of opposing a resolution recognizing Black History Month or passing the resolution without Kaepernick’s name. The resolution passed unanimously in the Assembly on Tuesday, though one black politician later said she wished to change her vote.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, people recognized in the resolution include “former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; DPI Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor; NFL coach James Caldwell; Milwaukee Bucks player Marques Johnson; Rev. Greg Lewis, chairman of Pastors United; Satchel Paige, the first African-American pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame; and former Milwaukee Chief of Police Arthur Jones.”

The resolution now heads to the Senate for a vote.

Kaepernick played quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2016. He began protesting during the national anthem in the 2016 preseason and continued the practice by kneeling throughout the regular season. His protest was meant to bring attention to issues such as police brutality and racial injustice in the country. He has become a polarizing figure, revered by some as a leader of a significant societal movement, and despised by others for his seeming disrespect to the country, police, and military.