As many may already know, people from all sports have been always told to stand for the National Anthem.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a position for his belief and has been receiving criticism from every angle.

Kaepernick sat during the National Anthem in a preseason game this summer. He eventually toned it down and began kneeling during the Anthem, with several others around the league joining his protest.

Kaepernick is a 28 year-old African-American football player who graduated from Nevada University. He is also a member of a historically known black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi.

The National Football League stated in a response that it recognizes the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not in the celebration of the National Anthem.

The ongoing issue here is why did he not stand? Why is it an issue for someone to have their beliefs and go against the grain?

Kaepernick explained his stance as to why he does not stand for the National Anthem.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick stated.

Kaepernick was the first to make this move, and many players, even on the college football level are following.

Not that it is becoming a trend, but others are supporting the position he is coming from. This is a topic that is most talked about before every sports game and even by former players.

Jeff Garcia, who played in the NFL for over 10 years wondered, “what happened to being a leader for your team, your family & the young people looking up to you? Appreciating the thousands who have died for you?”

Eric Reid, one of Kaepernick’s teammates, also took a knee before another game with Kaepernick.

“Taking a knee is worth doing, because it’s people lives and issues that are bigger than the game,” Reid said. “I just wanted to show my support for him, let him know that he’s not the only person who feels what he feels.”

It is clear that he has supporters but at the same time people who disagree completely.

Lamont Waites is a senior here at American International College. He plays for the AIC football team and is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Waites was asked about his opinion about Kaepernick’s decision to kneel for the National Anthem and why does he feel people are disagreeing with him.

“I agree with him completely, I feel as though people are too sensitive and too loyal to the government as to where they are blind to what’s really going on,” said Waites. “People don’t understand the big picture here. Instead, they are going with the majority rather than the minority.”

Many are also questioning whether this is doing Kaepernick more harm than good.

Jerrod Shelby, who is also a senior here at American International College, was also asked about Kaepernick’s decision.

“I believe he has every right to take a knee, people are disagreeing with him because they feel like he doesn’t show pride for the country, but he has every right to freedom of speech,” Shelby said. “He’s not looking for publicity in any sense, he is just expressing his right to speak and his views about what’s going on in the world.”

Students’ responses here on campus all varied but had the same conclusion: the explanation upon someone’s decision is solely on what they believe and what they stand for.

To criticize their decision won’t necessarily change their thought process, but instead create debate.

To understand why someone makes the decision they make will give you better satisfaction as to why they want what they’re standing for.

In this case, it’s equality among all races.