A popular topic on the web right now, that many people have already voiced their opinion on, is Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, who exercised his right to the first amendment and decided to not stand for the national anthem during the game on August 26th, 2016. Since then, he has received a whole lot of backlash for the bold move he had made. People have argued that what he did was wrong and disrespectful to veterans and that he isn’t involved in the oppression that he was protesting, while others have said that veterans have fought for the right for Americans to exercise their rights and what he did was just that. Personally, I have read both sides and have developed my own, personal opinion, that I am hoping to share with you today, because in life I believe it is important to understand how and what other people are thinking.

Before I jump into my own opinion, let’s look at some background information on the issue. Colin has said this about the subject: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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.” His team, the 49ers, did issue a statement which can be summarized up to ‘we respect American principles, such as freedom of speech, and we recognize that a person has the right to participate or not participate in the ceremony of the national anthem’. I think that the statement the team had issued was a smart move on their part, as I’ve seen many people who fail to remember that the first amendment exists and that everyone is entitled to their own actions. With that being said, here are my exact thoughts on the situation.

Honestly, I think it is about time someone made a move like that. It made a huge statement that caught the attention of thousands of people, and while a lot of people disagree with what he did and how he went about it, I think it’s a bit of a wake up call for America. I think a lot of people that are the causes of the injustice going on in the United States right now will never fully understand that what they’re contributing to is wrong or why it is wrong. However, I still have a tiny little bit of hope left that with more people coming out to stand against the injustice and oppression that this country is currently facing, the people who are contributing to it will come to some sort of realization, and maybe that’s when things can start to get better.

I also think that what Colin did was in no way disrespectful to veterans who have fought for this country. They fought for us to keep our rights, on of those rights being freedom of speech, which Colin exercised. I actually think it’s disrespectful to NOT exercise the rights given to us, and there are still so many who stand silent as these things are happening in our country, which I think is unacceptable. You were given the right to say what you need/want to say, use it. People fought and died for you to have that right, and the fact that you’re standing by and watching, is a complete insult to the veterans who have died for you.

I understand and respect that many people may have a completely different opinion than mine, and I think it’s important to listen to and try to understand where that person is coming from if they have a different opinion. Therefore, I ask you to do the same with mine. Try shifting your perspective on situations and seeing more than just what you see. I believe that’s a very important skill, one that will come in handy throughout your lifetime.