Kshama Sawant encourages Seahawks to sign Kaepernick

SEATTLE – Kshama Sawant is in the pro-Kaepernick camp, if you were wondering.

The Seattle City Councilmember wrote an open letter Friday to Pete Carroll and Paul Allen recommending that they sign former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Carroll said this week that Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III are among the players the Seahawks are considering to back up Russell Wilson.

“I am not a football expert, but everything I have read strongly suggests that the only reason a player with Kaepernick’s skills is still a free agent is because of the backlash against his courageous leadership last year against racism, brutality, and discrimination,” Sawant wrote. “If that makes other teams wary of signing him, shame on them. In Seattle, we know our communities will only benefit from his activism as well as his talents on the field.”

Kaepernick took a great deal of heat last season for his decision to take a knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. He opted out of his contract with the 49ers in March, and has said that he’ll stand for the anthem next season.

“The NFL has an influence on the ideas and attitudes of young people,” Sawant wrote. “As you assemble your team, it would be a poor message for you to send to young people that speaking out against racism, police violence, and economic inequality is ‘toxic’ and will be punished rather than applauded.”

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said this week that Seattle would be a good landing place for Kaepernick. Rather than take a knee, the Seahawks held hands as a display of unity during the anthem for several games last season.

“The working people of Seattle and our youth will be proud to welcome Colin Kaepernick,” Sawant wrote. “Please do everything in your power to sign him to the Seahawks.”