Whether you are an NFL season ticket holder or have never watched a full game of football in your life, you have in some way, shape, or form been forced to pay attention to the NFL last weekend.

After numerous individual players protested, one notably did not and, while many teams attempted to do the right thing, our football-obsessed country was left with several conflicting views of what it all meant and why it began in the first place.

What is more unbelievably frustrating to many than the fact that the NFL did not choose to unite in protest until Donald Trump came after them specifically, is how completely misconstrued the media continues to portray the reasons behind the protests.

Colin Kaepernick, the very first player to take a knee during the National Anthem, did so in August of 2016 when Barack Obama still held office. He kneeled to silently and peacefully protest the oppression of people of color and systematic police brutality that is prevalent as ever in the United States. His protest had nothing to do with the American flag or the National Anthem.

Once again, I repeat, Barack Obama was still President when his protest began.

Fast forward to the weekend of September 23rd, after Trump outraged both the NFL and NBA on twitter after denouncing NFL players who participated in the protests as "sons of bitches" to an Alabama audience, and released a series of tweets uninviting Steph Curry and the Warriors from visiting the White House after last year's NBA Championship win.

The Alabama speech was apparently what it took for the NFL to finally acknowledge any aversion to Donald Trump, the character who the majority of NFL owners actually helped put in office.

As news headlines filled with statements such as "NFL Players Protest Anthem" or "NFL Players and Owners Unite in Flag Protest," it quickly became clear that the majority of America was addressing the weekend's events in a similar fashion to that of any uncomfortable topic –– usually, race –– by twisting the intent of those taking a stand into something easier to understand.

They needed something for middle America to get angry about.

It is much easier to talk about "disrespectful and entitled" NFL athletes insulting the anthem, flag, and the Armed Forces than it is to discuss the systemic racial profiling, oppression, and blatant racism that spurred the protests.

Here are some of the best explanations of the true meanings behind Colin Kaepernick's initial protests from public figures who are doing the right thing to refocus the movement on its true intent.

1. Shannon Sharpe on UNDISPUTED.

2. Nick Wright on First Things First.

3. Gregg Popovich drops MAJOR knowledge about white privilege at Spurs media day.

4. Honorary Mention: LeBron James explains his "U bum" tweet about Donald Trump uninviting Steph Curry and the Warriors to the White House.