My take on the controversy around Colin Kaepernick

Now I know we all have heard the new about the San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick sitting out during the National Anthem. In history, that has been looked on as you don't really care about the country you live in and what it stands for, but in recent news, it also seems that people are backing him for what hes standing for.

Kaepernick seems to have a reason for sitting out the National Anthem. From his words, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. … There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” (NFL). Those words ring true for a lot of people in this country, as racial tensions with police have only grown in the past few years. He sits down to show his concern over how the National Anthem is a "celebration of slavery". This sounds very familiar to the controversy over the Confederate flag in South Carolina a year ago. These types of peaceful protests are the kinds of things that get people riled up but is it true that what we as American's stand for is corrupt and full of hate? We didn't grow up thinking this is the reason why we are all here today, I know I didn't. But Kaeperncik brings up a good point regardless how people view him. #VeteransforKaeperncik is a strong hashtag with veterans who support him in his efforts to protest, which is interesting because you think that they would be the ones to be very against this type of protest. Some aren't, and that is okay. It is his right as a citizen to have freedom of speech.

The people that are so against this way of thinking may be suprised to know that they people that are with Kaepernick aren't going to stand down. He makes a point about the police brutality but there are some flaws to his was of thinking. Standing up and supporting the country that gives you that right is something everyone does at some point, but is it necessary to bring the National Anthem into it when it is a separate manner?

I am not sure who is right and who is wrong in this situation. What I understand from this is what I see on the news every day and my own research. Kaepernick may have a point and maybe he doesn't. Maybe this has all been publicity so people would listen to him when he speaks about the police. Theories are welcome but I guess we will have to see in the following days what happens next in this story.