President Barack Obama Defends Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem Protest

President Barack Obama weighed in on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s nonviolent protest during a presidential town hall meeting Wednesday.

According to Daniella Diaz of CNN.com, an audience member asked Obama about Kaepernick’s decision not to stand during the national anthem before his team takes the field.

"I believe that us honoring our flag and our anthem is part of what binds us together as a nation," the president responded. "But I also always try to remind folks that part of what makes this country special is that we respect people's rights to have a different opinion."

While Obama defended Kaepernick’s right to kneel during the anthem, he pointed out he thinks the "protesters should be aware that the reason they are able to share their opinions [is] because people 'fight' for them to be able to do so," per Diaz.

Obama stressed the value in listening to one another and understanding there are differences of opinion, per Diaz:

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I want (the protesters) to listen to the pain that that may cause somebody who, for example, had a spouse or a child who was killed in combat and why it hurts them to see somebody not standing. But I also want people to think about the pain he may be expressing about somebody who's lost a loved one that they think was unfairly shot.

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The president previously acknowledged during the G20 economic summit in China that the quarterback has generated discussion on a handful of important topics.

The Associated Press shared some of his comments on its YouTube page:

In August, Kaepernick explained to Steve Wyche of NFL Media that he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

Kaepernick said he has received death threats in the aftermath of his protest, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.

Obama touched on the importance of protesters understanding the military aspect of the flag, and Kaepernick did change his initial means of protest after meeting with former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks training-camp long snapper Nate Boyer, per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

Kaepernick originally sat during the anthem in the preseason but elected to instead take a knee after meeting with Boyer.

Demonstrations during the national anthem have spread throughout the sports world since Kaepernick's protest first drew attention.

The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons expressed a message of unity before their Monday Night Football game, as the Saints shared on their Twitter account:

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have met to discuss how to handle similar protests during the season.

Elsewhere, athletes such as NFL players Arian Foster and Brandon Marshall, Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey and United States women’s national soccer team player Megan Rapinoe have taken a knee during the national anthem, as Kaepernick has continued to do.