With all of the debates that have been happening over and over on ESPN and many other news outlets concerning San Francisco 49ers’ backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, I think that it is prime time to focus on issues other than Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem.

That being said, I am not saying that we should ignore or discredit the issues in which Kaepernick and other NFL players are trying to make aware to viewers of the NFL. In fact, I applaud Kaepernick for not only taking a stand against the social injustices that have plagued this country since its inception, but for using his platform and privilege when a lot of other athletes and celebrities are not.

Actually, I do not have a problem with Kaepernick’s decision to continue kneeling even after his message has been made clear to the masses. That is his constitutional right. The main issue that I have with this entire situation is mostly directed towards those who are only focusing on Kaepernick’s action to sit or kneel and not the message or cause of his action.

To take this commentary a step further, when discussing Kaepernick’s recent actions, sports analysis and television personalities seem to still be discussing whether or not Kaepernick should be standing or kneeling during the national anthem.

This is my question to those who are still questioning Kaepernick’s actions: when will you address what he is saying?

At the start of Kaepernick standing in solidarity with people of color who are being oppressed in America, he made it very clear that he was trying to be a voice for those who was not having their voices heard.

This means that even though Kaepernick started the movement across the country, this silent protest of the national anthem is not about Colin Kaepernick.

Athletes should be able to express their first amendment right, especially if it is not prohibited for them to do so under contract, but this silent protest is about those who do not have a voice or who are ignored by the media.

It is time to stop focusing on Colin Kaepernick, and instead focus on the injustices that people of color are facing on a daily basis.

So when ESPN or any other media outlet mentions Kaepernick or any other athlete kneeling, or simply not putting their hand over their heart during the national anthem, one of the first things that should come to everyone’s mind now is the Dakota pipeline that is being built on Native American land.

I say this because it is one of the more prominent stories that showcases the exact message that Kaepernick is trying to enlighten people about, but there are obviously many more.

There are issues continuously happening in our society, and we need to not only address them, but find a solution for them.

We must stop deflecting from the issues in America, face them empathetically,