California 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick has not stood for the national anthem this football season because of racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.  After tremendous backlash, Kaepernick adjusted his stance and kneeled during the national anthem before a preseason game on Sept. 1.  The stance from Kaepernick is new and the previous years of his career experienced no such protest.

Regardless of the events occurring in our country, Kaepernick and everyone else in our country should stand whenever the national anthem is played to honor our country, its freedoms and our military.

While what Kaepernick is doing is an abomination, he is doing nothing illegal.  No one in this country has to stand for the national anthem and it is not required for players to stand by the NFL.  He is even exercising his first amendment rights to sit or kneel while the national anthem is being played.  Although, Kaepernick is making a fool out of himself by sitting down.

Kaepernick is just being offensive.  While there are certainly racial problems in America, sitting during our country’s national anthem is not the way to solve that problem.  The same flag Kaepernick refuses to stand for is the same flag that allows him to exercise his right to protest oppression of black people in this country. Not every country allows one to express an opinion so freely, so he is being quite ungrateful.  Kaepernick thinks he has no other option but to sit.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said to the NFL media. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Seriously? If this is so much bigger than football, then what have you done to prevent racial oppression, Mr. Kaepernick? Absolutely nothing besides simply whining.  Is that how problems are solved? By whining? No! Going out and trying to change society is what must be done. Mr. Kaepernick, if change is what you desire, then go do something about it.  Don’t sit during the anthem that reminds us of all the veterans that died for our country while protecting our flag and our first amendment rights that you are abusing.  At the exact moment Kaepernick sits in protest, someone is overseas fighting for our flag to still hang.  Does that seem right? Does that seem respectful to our military?  It certainly does not.

For someone who has done little to change the problems they are protesting, they should certainly be standing for the flag that honors our military and veterans.  The only thing Kaepernick should sit for is his next football game because he is not even going to start.

America has its issues, but one thing everyone should always do is stand for the national anthem that is about a country that offers so many freedoms. Our flag does not symbolize an America where race matters because our military and our veterans are comprised of people from all races who have protected us and our rights. We are a country founded on the principle that all men are equal. While there may be racial problems in America, we all should still stand to recognize any veteran, servicewoman or serviceman who guards this glorious, multi-racial country.