When I thought that putting a football player behind the words "sacrificed everything," was a slap in the face to those who made "the ultimate sacrifice," I was missing the point. Big time.

When Nike's ad first broke, I saw it and thought "Wow. That's bold." Then I felt angry. Aren't the words "sacrificed everything" only meant for those who died in service? How could Nike think that Colin Kaepernick deserved those words?

But, I was wrong.

The second thing I read regarding the ad was a letter from the long silent Mrs. Kyle. The widow of the American Sniper. It was heartfelt and full of pain and I agreed with her. Her stance was that Kaepernick didn't sacrifice anything real. That he was not worthy of those words. That her husband, and other servicemen like Pat Tillman, made the real sacrifices. I agreed with her.

But, I was wrong.

I have to say that my problem with this ad didn't start with Colin Kaepernick. I agreed with his form of peaceful protest. I agreed with his choice to speak out against what he felt was wrong. He had the platform to do it, and he had a voice, when so many people of color did not. The events that lead to Kaepernick's actions are not what I want to discuss, but they can't be ignored.

There are so many police and first responders in my life, and I love them. I respect them. I couldn't do their job. The fact that I love people that do that job, doesn't excuse the abuses that we've seen by others in their line of work. Can we condemn people who put their lives on the line every day to minimize the impact of criminals on a civilian lifestyle? In my mind, no. We have to tread carefully. We also have to hold every person accountable for their actions, including those who protect and serve us. We have to hold the news and media accountable for their bias, and their racism, and their divisive, outrage-porn production style.

Nike confused their message in my mind when they chose the words of their ad. "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." In the American narrative, to sacrifice everything is almost completely synonymous with "to make the ultimate sacrifice," in other words, to die.

To die for your country or your cause. Sacrifice is giving up something. Its true, Colin Kaepernick did not die for his flag, but he knelt for it. He knelt, after a fellow teammate and veteran explain that kneeling shows the respect due to fallen soldiers after their flag has been folded for the last time.

Colin Kaepernick has never disrespected veterans. I have come to the conclusion that the worst he has done is disrupt a societal view of the status quo for race and criminality. A conversation that is extremely overdue in the media. He pointed out that. as a nation, we can do better. We can act with more kindness, and more responsibility. We can hold ourselves to a higher standard. Kaepernick did make a sacrifice. While I was hung up on the wording of this ad, and angry by what it insinuated, I was missing the point. Unintentionally, I was the #whitelivesmattertoo guy at the #BlackLivesMatter rally. I totally freaking missed the point.

I didn't realize that by arguing the semantics of "sacrifice" that I was adding to the voices of those who hate Kaepernick for his voice, his stance on police brutality, and his blackness.

Nike signed a black athlete, responsible for a slew of peaceful protests regarding injustice towards people of color, that hasn't played his sport professionally in two years. This is groundbreaking. Nike just took a side for social change. When I thought that putting a football player behind the words "sacrificed everything," was a slap in the face to those who made "the ultimate sacrifice," I was missing the point. Big time.

I was so wrong.

If you disagree with what Nike has done, I think you're wrong, too. I think you're missing the point, too.

Sacrifice does not only mean dying. That is what a world filled with war has hardened us to believe. We need to do better. Nike is redefining that word in the American narrative and its necessary. It should have happened sooner. A man doesn't become a pro NFL player by accident. It takes hard work, dedication, a dream. Colin Kaepernick did sacrifice those things for the social justice he wanted to see.

My mind was too narrow to see it up close, I needed to take a step back. Colin Kaepernick may never play in the NFL again, because of his protests. Even though his peaceful protest had nothing to do with football and everything to do with standing up for the voiceless.

I've never lost a job or been silently banned from a career because of my political views or my desire for justice.

He's received death threats. My life has never been threatened because I spoke out about injustice.

If we are so angry about who is not being represented, that we can't see what is right in front of our face, we will never change. Sacrifice cannot be defined only by death. We need to leave that world behind. We need to do better.

Thank you, Nike. For raising up an athlete who fought peacefully, within the law, to further protect the rights, that those who serve us in the military and on the civilian police force, also protect.

Please hear me. We cannot be divided by this ad more than we have already been divided in this country. We are labeled Black, White, Democrats, Republicans, Gay, Straight, Believers, and non Believers, but we are American. We need to stand together for what is right, as all of us have been called to do. We can't let pride break down what it means to be an American.

I was wrong about sacrifice. I was wrong about Nike.

Nike's ad with Colin Kaepernick is trying to help us see what is right. Open your eyes.