MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nike’s decision to make former NFL star Colin Kaepernick the face of their new campaign has caused controversy across the nation.
Now, some citizens in Marshall County, Mississippi are wondering what one elected official may have meant by sharing a picture of Kaepernick next to Osama Bin Laden on social media, according to WREG.
Marshall County Constable Don Cothern re-posted a meme that reads, “If Bin Laden had a son.”
He has since taken down the post and issued an apology saying ” I am a TRUE American and I firmly believe that you should stand for our National Anthem, not kneel, so if I offended anyone, I’m sorry.”
WREG reached out to Marshall County officials who said they can’t comment on this and directed the station to speak directly to Cothern about the post on his personal Facebook page, where the post was shared.
No one answered the door at Cothern’s house when a reporter knocked.
Kaepernick has made headlines for kneeling during the National Anthem during his time as a professional football player, some called that unpatriotic.
The comparison itself draws attention. But so does who posted it.
“It don’t fit. It doesn’t fit at all as far as I’m concerned,” resident Albert Griffin said. “My man, he’s trying to do something to keep people from treating people wrong.”
He says the two have no business being grouped together.
“This guy, he’s a terrorist,” Griffin said, referring to Bin Laden.
Resident Gail Brooks says maybe the post wasn’t that deep and might not have anything to do with Cothern’s personal opinion. But she says regardless, as an elected official it’s best to steer clear of the controversy.
“If they put you in office, you have to be careful. Just stay out of it,” she said.
Later in the day Cothern posted again:
