Overview of Preview: Colin Kaepernick on Before & After with Lester Holt
This short NBC News preview introduces Lester Holt’s new podcast, Before and After, and teases a wide-ranging conversation with Colin Kaepernick about his decision to kneel during the national anthem, the goals behind his protest, and the backlash that followed. The excerpt centers on Kaepernick’s explanation of protest as a push for systemic change, his reflections on the sacrifices of earlier civil rights leaders, and the real threats and hatred he faced in response.
Key Topics Discussed
Why Kaepernick Took a Knee
- Kaepernick says the protest was meant to “collectively move us forward as a society.”
- He frames it specifically as:
- a response to police killing Black people
- a challenge to systemic oppression more broadly
- a call for momentum and action, not complacency
Historical Inspiration and Moral Responsibility
- He reflects on the influence of:
- the Montgomery bus boycotts
- Rosa Parks
- Malcolm X
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- His takeaway: people before him made extraordinary sacrifices, and he felt compelled to consider how far he and others should be willing to go for justice.
Backlash and Threats
- Holt asks about the emotional toll of becoming the target of intense anger.
- Kaepernick describes:
- hate and anger directed at him
- death threats
- attempts to send bombs to his home
- public displays of hostility, such as fans burning his jersey
- He says the experience forced him to “move differently through the world,” but did not stop the work.
Main Takeaways
- Kaepernick presents his protest as a deliberate act aimed at social progress, not just symbolic dissent.
- The preview emphasizes the continuity between his protest and the legacy of earlier civil rights activism.
- It also highlights the personal cost of speaking out publicly on racial justice in America.
- Despite the threats and backlash, Kaepernick says he was not going to let fear end the movement or the work.
Notable Insight
“What is the cost and the expense of doing nothing?”
This idea captures the core moral tension in the conversation: Kaepernick argues that inaction in the face of injustice carries its own consequences, and that protest is necessary to create meaningful change.
Call to Action
- The preview ends by directing listeners to search for Before and After with Lester Holt to hear the full episode.