America is not a perfect country. I'm sorry if I'm the one breaking the news to you. We're violent, we oppress numerous groups and still deny equal treatment or human rights. One of America's (numerous) problems is how we treat POC (or non-white) people in this country. Throughout the past few years, we have become aware of POC who wrongly died in police custody, and the backlash that groups like Black Lives Matter get when protests turn violent.

It's knowing all this that we turn to Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback to choose to kneel instead of stand during the national anthem. This simple choice was due to police brutality and racism, and was a protest against inequality in America. This choice sparked outrage among whom I call the uber-patriotic, who claim that Kapernick is a "jerk" because he is supposedly "disrespecting America" and "disrespecting the veterans who fought for the flag."

I stand with Kaepernick, and his right to sit during the national anthem. Here's why

1) Patriotism is a choice

People seem to forget that America is the "land of the free." The 1st amendment gives us the right to free speech and free expression. Therefore, we are free to critique America all we want if we feel like this is not a great country. We are not forced to love America, and we do not have to leave this country for not being patriotic. The uber-patriotic love to bring up other countries where you could be shot for not standing or saluting during the national anthem. But the point is that we aren't those countries, and should never be anything like countries with forced patriotism. Nobody should be forced to love or even respect the country they're in.

2) Kaepernick isn't hurting our veterans

Shortly after news broke about Kaepernick's protest, people started going "but the veterans!" This is actually a very common form of online manipulation, going "but you're hurting our veterans!" whenever someone says something, does something, or even wins something that the internet doesn't like. However, sitting for the pledge is hardly the same as going "screw our veterans!" or endangering them or their fight in any shape or form. In fact, sitting for the pledge doesn't affect veterans at all. It doesn't make their fight any less worthy, it doesn't change what they're fighting for or their fight at all. It has no impact on their life. In my opinion, using veterans to manipulate others is more insulting to the veterans than anything Kaepernick has done thus far.

3) People care more about sitting than police brutality

Kaepernick was taking a stand against racism and police brutality. Let us not forget that. However, it seems as if the Internet cares more about someone using their freedom of expression than they do about the black men and women who have died at the hands of police. People who, while some may have committed crimes, did nothing deserving of death. Meanwhile, Kaepernick has received racist slurs and insults for his simple act of protest, proving that racism is very much rampant in this country. Racism hurts people. Sitting down during the national anthem hurts nobody.