• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, October 4, 2016

Politics and sports don’t always mix. For many, partisan politics are overlooked at sporting events. Aggressive political posturing is forgotten, replaced by a blind drunken affection for one’s school or one’s city.

There are times, however, when the two meet. Many don’t appreciate the overlap; others understand an athlete’s desire to make statements.

A recent example: the NFL players who have started kneeling or sitting during the national anthem or who wear provocative images on their garments. The reactions have been varied, from death threats received by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, to President Obama declaring an athlete’s right to speak his or her mind.

Granted, the “protest” actions have been directed toward the police, addressing the volatile relationship that has developed between law enforcement and African-American communities. Emotions are running high on both ends of the spectrum — and  backlash is to be expected.

Was Colin Kaepernick wrong to give his opinion in such a visible manner on the field of play?

Some have deemed it disgraceful: “He signed a contract with an NFL football team. He has on an NFL football helmet. He has got an NFL uniform on. He doesn’t have the right, I don’t believe, to now start putting out his own political views in that form,” decried former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason.

Conversely, President Obama explained: “[his] understanding, at least, is that [Kaepernick is] exercising his constitutional right to make a statement. I think there’s a long history of sports figures doing so.”

More recently, the feminist group UltraViolet paid for the flyovers of anti-Trump banners at five different college football games this past weekend. The banners read: “Trump Says Women R Pigs. Disagree? Vote.”

The planes flew over some of the largest stadiums in the country in the swing states of Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

The 2016 presidential election is infiltrating various parts of American society and culture that may have been relatively immune from the frictions of politics. With blood pressures rising on both sides of the aisle, we can expect more political penetration in sports and other nonpolitical events. The tension is palpable.

Whether we agree with the messages, the beauty of our country is that we can express ourselves without reprimand. While doing so in the sports arena may offend some, athletes feel their position in the national spotlight gives them a powerful platform to further the conversation.