“I won’t stand for a country that doesn’t stand for me.” This was the poster I saw hanging in my student union the other day while I was in line to get football tickets. This ridiculous, absurd, completely close-minded, statement was available to be seen by all 34,015 students, 2,336 faculty members, and 6,733 staff members of NC State University.

Now, I know before some of you even begin to see my side of how I feel about people sitting down for the National Anthem, you will automatically say “white privilege.” You will automatically assume that I, along with other white men and women, are typical white people, uneducated and uninformed, about the wave of racism and violence that has overcome our great country and that we do not know the feeling of being “discriminated” against.

While I am a white female, I have taken the liberty to educate myself on the thought process of those who have been rioting and protesting, and most importantly, sitting for the National Anthem. I have read countless articles about why people have engaged in such behavior and I am still here to tell you that I simply do not understand.

I do not understand why some of you feel the need to sit or raise your fists when the National Anthem is playing. It’s as if you think that the men and women who have given their lives to save yours, did it based on race. As if our soldiers, fighting fearlessly and tirelessly, are saying, “I am choosing who I fight for and it will not be African Americans.”

It’s so easy for our generation, as young adults, to follow the lead of esteemed people such as Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players and celebrities as well. We feel the need to remain so set in our ways that we oftentimes do not address the fact that our actions and our words could greatly offend someone. For those of you who kneeled, did you actually understand why you were kneeling or did you all of a sudden assume that, once again, this was an issue about race?

While I have viewed videos and read about the killings of black men by officers, seen the protests and riots across our state, and I have witnessed, first-hand, students of my own university, engaging in actions that I find more than disrespectful, my heart has ached for both the blue and black communities; yes, I said both. I have acknowledged that some of the officers' actions were unnecessary and possibly careless, but I have also dove deeper into the background of the stories and kept in mind that the media is manipulative (Remember, they only want you to see what they think will get the most attention). I have tried to understand both sides: as a Blue Lives Matter supporter and as a Black Lives Matter supporter.

Peacefully protest for what you believe in, but keep our flag and our National Anthem out of it. We are not a perfect country, but we are, without a doubt, the GREATEST country. When it comes to standing for our National Anthem, stand for the men and women who have made it possible for you to be doing what it is you are doing. Stand for the men and women who are giving you the RIGHT and the PRIVILEGE to attend such events as college football games. Stand for the men and women who are blessing you with your FREEDOM. Stand for your own brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents, and other family members that have served in the line of duty to PROTECT you and REPRESENT the nation that we are blessed to call HOME.

I guarantee you, sitting for the National Anthem and disrespecting our flag will not get you the so-called “respect” that you demand.