Panthers’ Eric Reid plans to continue kneeling during national anthem

Carolina Panthers defensive back Eric Reid plans to continue kneeling during the national anthem throughout the 2019 NFL season. 

Reid, who was one of the first professional athletes to take part in the on-field protest, told The Charlotte Observer on Sunday that he will stop kneeling during the national anthem once he feels like issues related to racial justice have been addressed. 

{mosads}“If a day comes that I feel like we’ve addressed those issues, and our people aren’t being discriminated against or being killed over traffic violations, then I’ll decide it’s time to stop protesting,” Reid said. “I haven’t seen that happen.”

Reid, who was a member of the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Panthers in 2018, added that he feels like things are “going backwards.”

“You’d like to think we’re past certain things, the way we treat people,” he said. “I thought we were at a time where you love your neighbor as yourself. But as I’ve studied history — it hasn’t repeated itself necessarily, but it’s dressed a little different and is acting the same.”