On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg walked back her criticism of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, calling her comments “inappropriately dismissive and harsh.”
Earlier Ginsburg had said that although Kaepernick and other football players have a constitutional right to protest, it was “dumb and disrespectful” for them to refuse to stand during the national anthem to draw attention to racial discrimination and police violence.
Now, “I should have declined to respond,” Ginsburg said in a statement released Friday by the Supreme Court press office.
The Notorious RBG’s Kaepernick comments have drawn a mixed reaction on social media– including praise from her usual critics and criticism from her usual fans.
Somewhere Scalia is smiling-> Ruth Bader Ginsburg says Kaepernick's national anthem protests are 'really dumb' https://t.co/Klp7L7jy6c
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) October 10, 2016
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is completely correct.
Colin Kaepernick is incredibly stupid. https://t.co/5F3dCstE9b
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) October 10, 2016
I'm with Ruth Bader Ginsburg on this one. https://t.co/YVGzy9GSpH
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) October 10, 2016
Next time the words "all rise" are uttered as Ginsberg takes the bench people should remain seated. Why respect her? https://t.co/TwFoGJ7mYH
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) October 15, 2016
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is brilliant legal mind, but her Colin Kaepernick opinions seem out of touch https://t.co/52gE2MBdFs
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) October 10, 2016
You all thought your adorbs nerd pop culture icon's affection for a racist was sweet. I though it was … revealing. https://t.co/JUBRDrCCd3
— Jenée (@jdesmondharris) October 10, 2016
She was right the first time. #BoycottNFL https://t.co/HYuVqlQIVZ
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) October 15, 2016
Jock Correctly Shames, Bullies Nerd https://t.co/wxJ7XDllu8
— Gary Tasteman (@ByYourLogic) October 15, 2016
This time marks the second n four months that Ginsburg, who at 83 is the oldest member of the court, has backtracked after controversial remarks.
In July, she said she didn’t want to consider the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency, calling the candidate a “faker” with “no consistency about him” – comments she later admitted were “ill-advised.”
— Jillian Kay Melchior writes for Heat Street and is a fellow for the Steamboat Institute and the Independent Women’s Forum.
