Where I come from, you always say please and thank you, respect your elders and stand for the national anthem. I understand that in the past few weeks, pro-footballer, Colin Kaepernick, has been under constant heat for not doing the latter. What I fail to understand, however, is the reasoning behind the harassment that he’s been receiving.

1.) He’s standing up for what he believes in

Traditionally, people have been respected and even received praise for standing up for what they believe in. It’s often perceived as a testament to one’s character. In many instances, if a person chooses not to stand up for something that they believe in, they are labeled as a wimp, coward, spineless. However, in this instance, many have been quick to tear down Kaepernick, and say degrading things, attacking him on a professional and personal level and implying that he should just be grateful he has done so well for himself. The implication seems to be that he’s doing this because he’s spoiled or selfish, when in reality it’s obvious that nothing could be further from the truth of this matter.

2.) He’s chosen an issue that he obviously feels very strongly about and is using his status to draw attention to it

Colin Kaepernick is doing what he is doing because he, like many other people, feels that the US government has been consistently failing minority communities and has decided that something needs to be done about it. Minorities continue to consistently be treated as second class citizens. They are profiled, unnecessarily harassed, harmed and all too frequently, killed. Often, for no other reason than the irrational and deep seated prejudices of their aggressors. Yet their grievances are summarily dismissed, or worse, as in the case of Black Lives Matter, used against them to imply they believe themselves above the law, above other races. Yet despite all this they are still expected to give respect and share the same warm, fuzzy, feelings for the United States flag?

3.) He’s choosing to protest quietly, and in a way that hurts literally NO ONE

If peaceful protests are discredited for being disrespectful and violent protests are discredited for the damage and injuries they cause, how are we as citizens supposed to cause change? Because make no mistake, change is needed, change is necessary….change is imminent. Kaepernick is being insulted for choosing to sit or kneel during the National Anthem but he isn’t hurting anyone. He hasn’t asked for anyone to join him, and bears no ill will toward anyone who chooses not to join his quiet protest. He’s been vocal about what his protest is and is not about... It IS about the continued suppression on minorities and the brutality they face and how this must end... It IS NOT a call for violence, or an enticement for lawlessness or a slam of the US military. His beef isn’t with the military, or even with the flag, it’s with the way we, as a nation, use the flag as a symbol of our national pride when our treatment of millions of minority citizens leaves them with little belief in, or feelings of, equal representation and respect under that flag.

4.) The flag does not exclusively symbolize the US military, it is a symbolic artifact of an entire nation

This is the 21^st century, folks. We’ve been telling other nations that we’re all about equality and freedom FOR EVERYONE for decades, but behind closed doors, discrimination and segregation are still huge problems in our society. This is what Kaepernick is trying to draw attention to. He’s trying to open a dialog, and help to bring about social reform in the most peaceful way that he can. He isn’t trying to get people to talk about him or doing this as a media stunt. He’s doing this because he, like me, thinks we can do better, for all of our citizens.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi