At a local high school football game back in my hometown of Jacksonville, North Carolina, an African American referee decided to “take a knee” during the National Anthem. This was not a sign of prayer but a sign of protest. He used his first amendment right to not stand during the Star Spangled Banner. It is his right to not stand for the National Anthem. But it is my right now to use my first amendment right and voice my opinion. I am a Christian, conservative, gun-owning, pro-life, minister of the faith young man who is working on his master’s degree. I have several friends in the military. I have family members and friends who have served in military from World War II to Vietnam to the war in Iraq. I also have friends that are African Americans who come from the inner city. Some say it is a police problem. Well, here are some statistics: Cops killed nearly twice as many whites as blacks in 2015. According to data compiled by The Washington Post, 50 percent of the victims of fatal police shootings were white, while 26 percent were black. The majority of these victims had a gun or “were armed or otherwise threatening the officer with potentially lethal force,” according to MacDonald, the author for The Post. More whites and Hispanics die from police homicides than blacks. According to MacDonald, 12 percent of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only four percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers. Black and Hispanic police officers are more likely to fire a gun at blacks than white officers. This is according to a Department of Justice report in 2015 about the Philadelphia Police Department, and is further confirmed that by a study conducted University of Pennsylvania criminologist Gary Ridgeway in 2015 that determined black cops were 3.3 times more likely to fire a gun than other cops at a crime scene. Facts are facts. I say this with the most love in my heart: it is not a police problem. It is not a black problem. It is a heart problem along with the culture of sin in the world today. Racism and the purging of police officers are not the answer to anything. Whoever believes this, let me say this to you: In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus says “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” All lives matter because Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for everyone. Jesus didn’t preach hate or saying only one race matters. Jesus preached love, grace, prayer, and compassion. But, let me introduce another statistic. “In the United States, women constitute less than 20 percent of arrests for most crime categories.” This is from the JRank Articles website with the link here: http://law.jrank.org/pages/1250/Gender-Crime-Differences-between-male-female-offending-patterns.html#ixzz4NpxkNjd4. So this means men of all race and ethnicity groups contribute to at least 80 percent of arrests. Notice “all race and ethnicity groups.” Not just blacks. But all. So police problem, oppression problem or heart problem? Why don’t all men just kneel for the Anthem? Since I am a male, should I feel oppressed because more males than females commit crime? The answer is no! It is the circumstances we are living in. Not a particular race being oppressed. Yes, this country is not perfect. Yes, hate does exist. But your right to protest and right to free speech is protected by the constitution which is protected by men and women who put their lives on the line fighting for you to be able to either stand or not stand. I would like to say this: as a man of God, I want you to know I do not support racism. I do however believe you should respect this great nation by standing for the National Anthem. Too many men and women have died for you to not stand. I stand for those who cannot stand anymore. I stand because those that came before me sacrificed so much so I can enjoy my freedom today. I stand because I love my country. I stand because my Savior, Jesus Christ rose on the third day from the grave and STANDS victorious over death, hatred, and sin. So why do you stand? Why do you not stand? Yes, it is your right. But think about it. Will you not standing fix the problems? How about a little more personal question. Will you not standing fix your own personal problems? The only way to fix the problems we have today in America is to allow Jesus to fix it. We must unite black hand in white hand, male hand in female hand, homosexual hand in heterosexual hand, and so on, and allow God to change our hearts. Only then, will we see true change. Your circumstances do not have to define you. You can overcome. We can all overcome because there is victory in Jesus Christ. We are fighting a battle that He came and died for over 2,000 years ago when He died on the cross. Finally, a word to the referee that decided to not stand. I will be praying for you. You seem to be fighting a battle that I may or may not understand. But next time you hear the National Anthem play, think about those who cannot stand because they gave up that right to allow you to choose either to stand or not stand. America is the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. Stand or not stand. It is your choice. But, do not forget about those whose blood and courage paint the flag the beautiful red. Do not forget about those who sacrificed for the state of justice which paints the flag the beautiful blue. And do not forget about Him who was and is pure and was innocent yet died for us to take away our sins which paints the flag the beautiful white. You may not be a Christian. You may not agree with this article. But I say that you will love and a broken heart that you will spend eternity somewhere. You will stand before your Creator one day. Whether it is with Jesus or not is up to you. As the psalmist said, “Selah” which means think on these things.