Giants Relief Pitcher Sam Coonrod Didn’t Kneel Prior to the National Anthem Because He’s a Christian

Prior to both Opening Day games on Thursday, players from every team held a black banner and took a knee prior to the National Anthem.  Every player except Giants relief pitcher Sam Coonrod.

The 27-year-old righthander held the banner, but did not take a knee.  His reason?  Coonrod is a Christian who says he "can't kneel before anything besides God."

He then added some things about the Black Lives Matter organization he doesn't agree with.

From NBC Sports:

On Thursday night, before the season opener against the Dodgers, many of the Giants again chose to kneel during the anthem. But it was a moment before that which really stood out. Every player and coach from both teams took a knee before the anthem and held a long piece of black fabric in a moment of unity, with the exception of one.

The outlier was Sam Coonrod, a second-year Giants reliever who said after the game that he is a Christian and "can't kneel before anything besides God." He also said he does not agree with some of what he has heard about the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I'm a Christian, like I said, and I just can't get on board with a couple of things that I have read about Black Lives Matter," Coonrod said. "How they lean toward Marxism and they've said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can't get on board with that."

I think people are confusing the statement Black Lives Matter with the organization.  You can make the statement without supporting the organization.  They don't necessarily go hand in hand.

It's an interesting statement by Coonrod, but one he has the right to make.  He feels being a Christian means that he can't kneel, who am I to argue with that?