Disclaimer: I have no official political stance and very little care for a lot of what is going on in America right now, and I don't plan on changing any of that.

Now, let me explain why.

My entire academic career has taught me to research topics and think independently and I feel that the same thought process should apply to the world outside of the classroom. However, what is currently applied outside of the classroom is "believe the media" very few people take the time to look beyond what they see on TV or read in a paper or a magazine. Have I taken the time to look beyond? Nope, because I don't want to. I still have an opinion on some of the things that are going on and a little common sense, easy research to add to it.

Topic: Colin Kaepernick sitting for the national anthem

My only statement about this, a man who makes more money playing with a ball then a man (or woman) that has died or been dismembered for his right to play with that ball, better get his a** off that chair put his hand over his heart, bow his head or something and stand for the national anthem. I understand that he has his reasons, and that is something else to be discussed, but how dare you disrespect the country that is your home. Find another way to take a stance, but you (and the rest of these ridiculously overpaid athletes) have somehow become what (most) Americans idolize, and you don't deserve it. You're running across a football field, while soldiers are out there running across a battle field sacrificing themselves in wars they didn't ask to be part of, but they did there civil duty and are fighting for us. I have a question for you Colin Kaepernick, what have you done? You get to sit in your mansion after a game, spend holidays with your family, get everything handed to you on a silver platter, but soldiers don't come home, they miss huge life moments, are homeless and commit suicide because of what they experienced, kids without parents, parents without their child, siblings without siblings and spouses without spouses, but that's okay to you and a lot of the rest of society.

Here's a piece of common sense for everyone else, the idiots that we (not me because I don't vote) have elected to put in government are the ones that decide on everything. Our votes truly don't matter anyway and what they say to get elected is exactly just that. We truly do not live in a democracy, what we learned growing up about our political system is what the government has decided they want us to see it as. We get the edited version.

Topic: The wrongdoings towards African Americans (aka why Kaepernick sat)

We are an evil society, from the very beginning of our existence we have killed one another for a variety of reasons and sometimes no true reason at all. It is virtually impossible for us to live in complete peace, however what has gone on is wrong. I'm not going to say to much here, but people are racist (and it is NOT just white towards black), cops are corrupt, but some people do make bad choices and get themselves killed. People become the epitome of their races stereotypes. There is privilege and unprivileged (which is the next topic.) Unfortunately all these things are unavoidable. But fighting violence with more violence and disrespect with more disrespect is not going to help anything.

I don't agree with war or the violence that humans express towards one another. However, I family that have served, friends who are still serving, friends that have lost limbs, friends whose parents are visiting their body, what's left of their body or no body at all at a cemetery instead of having them there.

Topic: Brock Turner (The RAPIST)

This *expletive statement* is the prime example of a ridiculous amount of privilege. Now, he is undoubtedly a rapist, he took advantage of an unconsenting woman (intoxicated or not) and his sentence was only six months and probation, now he's getting released after only three months. Let us revisit why he was only sentenced to six months, because jail would have a severe impact on him. That's the point! Jail isn't meant to be a nice place, it's not your uppidy country club. We committed a crime, and you get punished for it. I'm going to stop myself here.

Topic: Rape culture

Women are the problem. That is the overall consensus society has. From the time we are born, girls are told how to act to make boys feel more comfortable. We are told "don't show your shoulders or your bra straps because its distracting for boys." and "don't wear too much makeup, because boys don't like it or they'll like it too much." Teach your sons not to be disgusting pigs, instead of shaming girls about nonsense. People blame the girl in cases like Brock Turner and that is a problem. Yes, she mad bad choices, and everyone has. She has to live with that rape everyday, feeling ashamed. Brock Turner has to live with the fact that he raped her, but he has turned into the victim and she has been turned into the one who did something wrong. Everyday girls are kidnapped, raped, sexually abused by family members just for being girls. It happened while sleeping in their bed, or walking down the street in a turtleneck or a giant sweatshirt and sweatpants. Society no longer sees it that way, now it's "well she asked for it?" The seven year old girl whose pervert uncle who "touched" her inappropriately at the family barbecue, asked for it? The girl out jogging, minding her own business, she asked for it? The girl who was snatched from the store and was raped, asked for it? None of them asked for it, but the man who did it to her is spared and becomes the victim because he's a man and they are sexual beings, or he didn't know any better. Somehow the view has turned against women, but it's okay for us to fear going out alone at night, to the bathroom without a friend or two, we can't leave our drink because we don't know what will end up in it. That is all apparently fine, but it's really not. Stop teaching boys that women are sexual objects, teach them respect, stop turning them into victim and stop allowing them to get away with their actions because "boys will be boys."

Make America great again, but not by electing Trump or Clinton. Make America great again by looking beyond and seeing the truth of what is out there and fixing the problems that exist.