Sam Coonrod was thrust into the spotlight last week during the first few games of the Major League Baseball season. The San Francisco Giants pitcher refused to kneel during the National Anthem and said that he wouldn't do it because of his Christian values. This eventually led to quite a bit of criticism as many were disappointed that he wouldn't even support his teammates in their efforts.
Now, a fellow San Francisco resident, Klay Thompson, is speaking out against Coonrod and why his stance is incorrect. Thompson points out that Jesus would want to kneel alongside his fellow man as it would simply be the right thing to do. Simply put, Thompson feels as though there is a lot of hypocrisy in Coonrod's statement.
“But yes, [you’re] a Christian, and Jesus would do this the exact same thing as you? He would never kneel with his fellow brothers an sisters in the name of real change. Eradicating systemic oppression and being silnet/comlcit with government officials in murdering those they were sworn to protect and serve,” Thompson wrote. “Why don’t you insert yourself in communities that are affected by systemic racism. You play in a melting pot of a city being in San Francisco. There are people of all racial and sexual orientations in our beloved city who are model citizens and REAL PEOPLE.”
This is certainly a sensitive topic for many, especially with all of the demonstrations going on around the country. Not to mention, NBA players are back on the court, and pretty well every single team has engaged in some sort of anthem protest.