After President’s Trump’s remarks this weekend about the behavior of those who abstain from participating in the National Anthem, several NFL players, coaches, and owners stood with locked arms or kneeled. 

During a rally in Hunstville, Alabama on Friday, Trump mocked Kaepernick, for kneeling during the National Anthem, stating “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag say “Get that son of b**** off the field right now, out. He’s fired, he’s fired!”

He also tweeted, “If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting out Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!”

This display started last year when Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers kneeled during the singing of the national anthem, stating that he would no longer stand until he was satisfied the changes the country has made involving racial oppression.

Kaepernick has received both praise and backlash for his display on the field, claiming that it was the wrong place and time to bring attention to the issue, but Kaepernick’s time was nothing shy of perfect.

Kaepernick knew this public protest would strike up a much needed controversial conversation, with some wholeheartedly agreeing with him, and others cursing his name.

What is important to note is that protests done by Kaepernick and other NFL teams and players aren’t against the flag.

Like one NFL fan so gracefully put it, “Thinking the NFL players are protesting the flag is like thinking that Rosa Parks was protesting against the transportation system.”

Much like the Civil Rights movement, these players are utilizing small protests to not only bring attention to a bigger issue, and by ‘disrupting’ games you’re bringing attention to an issue others have been trying to sweep under the rug.

Why would pledge your allegiance to a country that doesn’t really care about you?

Kaepernick addressed the true meaning of his protest last when he didn’t stand, stating “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and other people of color.”

The flag isn’t what’s making people upset. It’s what the flag is supposed to represent, its that the flag is supposed to give every citizen who pledges to it a number of inalienable rights, and they’re not being granted those rights.

Kaepernick and the other players have the right to do whatever they please with the platform they’ve been given, including standing up for what they believe in.

Trump has affectively made a situation that indirectly involved him completely about himself, and the NFL players have brought the issue back to where it needs to be.

Kaepernick and other players are flexing their first amendment right to change racial tension in America. Kaepernick started a much needed conversation. The players, coaches, and staff of the NFL are just making sure the conversation is still going on.