VIDEO: Navy Admiral Works Colin Kaepernick Jab Into Pearl Harbor Speech
By Kyle Koster
U.S. Pacific Command Commander Admiral Harry Harris worked a criticism of Colin Kaepernick and others who refuse to stand during the national anthem into his speech commemorating the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
“You can bet that the men and women we honor today, and those who died that fateful morning 75 years ago, never took a knee and never failed to stand whenever they heard our national anthem being played,” Harris said.
Judging by the hearty applause, the line played quite well with the assembled crowd. The Department of Defense also posted, then deleted, video of Harris’ zinger on Twitter and Facebook.
Predictably, the burn is being lauded by one faction and decried by another.
Building up one group by putting down another seems an odd choice to make during a speech aimed and bringing people together in memory — if for no other reason than it distracts from those being honored.