U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has called “dumb and disrespectful” a decision by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to kneel and not stand during the anthem as a way for him to protest police brutality and racial oppression.
Asked Monday by Katie Couric, global anchor for Yahoo News, what she thought of the protest, Ginsburg responded: “I think it’s really dumb of them. Would I arrest them for doing it? No. I think it’s dumb and disrespectful.
“I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag-burning. I think it’s a terrible thing to do,” said Ginsburg, who came under fire recently for lacerating comments about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. “But I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act.
“It’s dangerous to arrest people for conduct that doesn’t jeopardize the health or well-being of other people. It is a symbol they are engaged in,” she said.
Asked whether she meant it was their right to protest, Ginsburg, 83, agreed.
“If they want to be stupid, there’s no law that should be preventive,” Ginsburg said.
Shannon Sharpe, a former NFL player and co-host on Undisputed on Fox Sports, said that while Ginsburg had been a good champion for minority-group causes, she should be careful in expressing her opinions.
“I would ask Justice Ginsburg that when you see a man crying, don’t tell him to stop crying. Ask him, say, ‘Sir why are you crying?’” he said, adding, “We are seeing far too many unarmed black men dying at the hands of police with no accountability taking place.”