The controversy over #TakeAKnee has reached a fever pitch since President Donald Trump began tweeting about it last weekend, ahead of the NFL's opening on Sunday, September 24. #TakeAKneel began as a protest movement by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He began kneeling during the national anthem because, in his words, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."