Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg thinks it is “dumb” of Colin Kaepernick and other professional football players to protest the national anthem, though she says they have the right to do so.
In an interview with Katie Couric, Ginsburg blasted the players’ protest, which aims to call attention to the mistreatment of African Americans by police. Ginsburg did not address the players’ intentions, but she wrote off the protest itself as a foolish act.
“Would I arrest them for doing it? No,” she said. “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, but I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it.”
Ginsburg said there is no law that keeps a citizen from doing something “stupid” or “arrogant,” but noted that she takes issue with the “point of view that they are expressing” when they take a knee.
Ginsburg is not the first high-profile voice to weigh in on the subject. During a town hall with military service members in September, President Obama said he respected the players’ decision, but urged them to consider the “pain” their actions may cause.
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