Although San Francisco 49ers  quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s intentions are noble, his controversial actions of taking a knee during the national anthem are ineffective.

“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 said, according to NFL.com

No doubt, racial injustice still lingers in our society. But Kaepernick’s execution is flawed.

Kaepernick’s action sparked a lot of conversation, but little action has occurred in the past month since his protest began.

Of course, action cannot be executed immediately, but still the conversation has not been productive.

Instead of being about police brutality prevention, the conversation is about the validity of Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem.

Proponents of Kaepernick’s protest say he is trying to spark conversation about a broken system that discriminates against minorities.

But opponents argue that his protest is disrespectful to military personnel, and that he “should find another country.”

Although the hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick trended on social media like Twitter and Instagram, people are still heavily divided by Kaepernick’s actions.

Many people have differing opinions about the flag and  the national anthem, and what they represent. It would be unfair to call anyone who doesn’t support Kaepernick a racist.

Most opponents are not against the fight for racial equality. They are more concerned over the disrespect Kaepernick and other protesters have shown for the country by not standing during the national anthem.

In any case, Kaepernick is not taking the right approach with his ideals.

As reported by USA Today, Kaepernick was found wearing socks that depicted police officers as pigs, which many found offensive.

Kaepernick could have chosen a more specific and respectable form of protest. For example, NBA players LeBron James and Kobe Bryant wore a T-shirt with the words, “I can’t breathe,” to protest the death of Eric Garner, an African American killed in a July 2014 police brutality incident.

James and Bryant’s protests did not offend many people. They did not create a controversy over their actions, but rather a respectful conversation about police brutality. It seems that all of Kaepernick’s forms of protest are offensive regardless of  his reasoning. As a public figure who wants equality, he needs to unite the people, not divide them further.

After all, the most effective voices for social equality movements in the past were pacifists.

Famous civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. aimed to unite people regardless of color. As King said in his famous speech,  “I have a dream that one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brother.”

King united people. Kaepernick’s protest only sparked petty online debates and divided people.