Clay Travis is my idol. Clay Travis is the founder of Outkick The Coverage via FoxSports and also does Outkick the Show. Why is Clay Travis my idol? Well here’s why: he does not care what you think, and speaks EVERYTHING that is on his mind. He wrote an article entitled “Colin Kaepernick Is An Idiot” that says literally everything on my mind, and I’m sure everyone’s minds currently.

Here is what’s going on: Colin Kaepernick, backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers refused to stand up for the National Anthem during the 49ers preseason games causing backlash throughout the country. His reason? He did not want to stand up for a flag in which the country it represents oppresses African Americans.

This is the latest in the Black Lives Matter movement which is very important in society today. However, the disrespect shown by Kaepernick has reached a whole new level by not respecting the flag of the country in which he was born. Meanwhile, while Kaepernick refuses to honor the stars and stripes, NFL players like Pat Tillman and Glen Coffee left their NFL careers to serve our country and Pat Tillman lost his life in Afghanistan.

Kaepernick was quoted as saying “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Okay. Let’s dissect this shall we? First of all, since last season there has been a lot of issues and the Black Lives Matter movement has grown stronger and understandably so. However, I do not agree with this. Even if your beliefs are that the USA oppresses people of color, sitting down and not honoring all those who have died for our country (including thousands of people of color) has no merit. Instead of sitting down, why not help out? Launch a movement, help a charity, set a good example. If you really do want to sit, I’m sure the bench will be a very nice place for you, Kap, to sit for the season as you are in a battle with Blaine Gabbert of all people.

Secondly, the people that are “getting away with murder” (which, I assume he did not mean literally), are athletes and here's why. Stanford, just down the road, had a swimmer who was caught raping an unconscious woman in early 2015. Brock Turner, who was convicted of three felony sexual assault charges was sentenced to just six months in jail simply because he was an athlete. Now, Turner will be released from prison three months early because of good behavior? Yes, the judge in the case Aaron Persky has since decided not to try criminal cases anymore but his decision to be extremely lenient on Turner has led to an even bigger issue. Are athletes the ones “getting away with murder?" (Trust me, there will be an article about this in the near future).

My third point is probably the most important. Colin Kaepernick is an American above all else, and as Americans, we all have first amendment right to the freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly and Petition. So Kap, you certainly have the right to challenge this country. But the difference is to CHALLENGE the country, not disrespect it. I understand that you have military members in your family. But not standing and honoring the flag is a blatant disrespect to those fighting, those who have fought and those who have paid the ultimate price.

If you want to see a change, then do something about it. This doesn't just go for Colin Kaepernick. This is for everyone, in every situation. If you have a problem with something, absolutely bring it to everyone's attention. Heck, for all I care, protest (peacefully). But don't lump everyone who has helped our country in the past and present into the group that you are. As Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world". So I ask you this Colin....do you want to see everyone disrespecting the red, white and blue? Do you want those who look up to you to think it's okay to cause all of this drama for something that could have easily been fixed? (Side Note: If you're going to have a press conference about why you are protesting or what not maybe don't do so in a Fidel Castro t-shirt.)

Look Colin, I get it. We all have things that we want changed. We all have things that we wish were different. But you need to do something about it, use your power in society today to make a difference, not make waves in the media. What will you do on opening weekend Kap? You play the day after September 11...will you stand to honor the thousands that were killed in that attack? For me, this is basically a way to honor those who have come and gone before me. The women who fought for my rights, the men who fought for equal rights for blacks and whites. The many who fought for our freedom against other countries.

Athletes are the ones our kids are supposed to look up to. Athletes are the ones we want our kids to emulate. Unfortunately, lately, the athletes overtaking the media have been Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Lochte (who embellished an armed robbery story in Rio), Lamar Odom (almost died of a drug overdose at a brothel), Josh Brown (domestic violence), Greg Hardy, Johnny Manziel and the list goes on.

There are athletes that are in the spotlight and for all intents and purposes are good at what they do, are like it or not who the younger generation looks up to. And we wonder why society is the way it is.

So this is my call to all, let’s remember who we should emulate. Athletes are role models to society because of the good they do. Athletes are also humans, and we shouldn’t have them on such a high pedestal to where the only way they can go is down.

***Update*** Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem on September 1 for the 49ers final preseason game as boos reigned down on him.