Immediately following the results of the election three weeks ago, on ESPN’s weekday morning sports talk show First Take, which he co-hosts, sports media personality Stephen A. Smith decided to give his opinion on San Francisco 49ers quarterback, and recent social activist Colin Kaepernick’s decision to not vote in this year’s election.

“Quite frankly I hope he goes away,” said Smith. “He’s lucky to be in the league right now. Kaepernick of all people because of the position he took, because of the attention he brought to the issues; the fact that he didn’t even have the decency to go to the polls and activate himself in this election–as our president said–is a “damn shame. As far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing and I don’t want to hear another damn word from him.”

Stephen A., you sound slightly foolish to me. For him not to vote, as far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing? You want to discredit everything he has taken a stand for simply because he didn’t vote? That baffles me.

Do I think everyone should exercise their right to vote? Absolutely, if you want to. If you don’t, will I judge you? Maybe I will, but I understand why some people would choose not to vote, be it for whatever reason. However, in the case of Kaepernick, why would I have even expected him to vote? Kaepernick doesn’t participate in the national anthem, so why on earth would he participate in the national election?

Kaepernick openly spoke out against both Clinton and Trump following the first presidential debate. Allow me to remind you of one of his postgame press conference statements from a few months ago when prompted with a question regarding his reaction to the debate:

“I watched a little bit of [the presidential debate],” said Kaepernick. “To me, it was embarrassing to see that these are our two presidential candidates. They both are proven liars and it almost seems like they’re just trying to debate who’s less racist. At this point, we have to pick the lesser of two evils, with the end outcome being evil regardless.”

Tell me ladies and gentlemen, why would he have voted? I simply cannot understand getting upset at people for doing things I fully expect them to do. I fully expected Kaepernick to be one of the 46.9% of eligible voters who didn’t vote and Kaepernick himself says he doesn’t regret  sitting out this year’s presidential election.

“I’ve been very disconnected from the systematic oppression as a whole,” said Kaepernick following the election results. “For me, the winner of this election will be nothing more than another individual who’s gonna be the face of that system of oppression. To me, it didn’t really matter who won, the system still remains intact that oppresses people of color.”

Say what you please about me, but I understand Kaepernick here. Quite frankly, I didn’t even need the explanation because, once again, if the man already has spoken out against both presidential candidates and doesn’t stand for the national anthem, why would I expect him to participate in the national election.

The reason I choose to scold Stephen A. is because of his outlandish claim that Kaepernick’s decision not to vote warrants the dismissal of his stance against social injustice in our country. Kaepernick has spoken out against police brutality and injustice to certain communities, particularly minorities in America, and because he because he didn’t vote you want to discredit everything he’s stood for in not standing for the national anthem? You’re just gonna try to wipe away that work he put in? What logic does that make?

Now, should someone taking a stance on police brutality vote locally on criminal justices reform or who serves as police commissioner, chief, or sheriff? Yes, absolutely. Additionally, if either of the the presidential candidates had a real, legitimate stance formulated for reforming the issue of police brutality, then yes, Kaepernick would look crazy choosing to not participate in the national election. However in the case we had with the presidential election this year, Kaepernick looked far from it in my eyes.

There were plenty of people who fight against social injustice who made the decision not to vote this year. Do I believe they should have utilized their right to vote? Yes. Do I choose to discredit all the work they put in for fighting against injustice in our country because of the fact that they didn’t vote? Absolutely not.

Minister Louis Farrakhan was one of those people who didn’t vote. Should we plan on dismissing the work he has put into fighting social injustice in our country? Does his voice mean nothing now just because he didn’t vote? Go Google Malcolm X: The Ballot or The Bullet and see for yourself what Malcolm’s stance was on voting in the national election in our country. Does this discredit anything Malcolm X ever said or did? I struggle to believe that Stephen A. would make the same claim in regards to either one of these gentleman.

If you want to chastise Colin Kaepernick for choosing not to exercise his right to vote, fine, so be it. I understand such a choice because I do believe that all eligible voters in our country should utilize their right to vote. But don’t be a fool and discredit everything he has done and everything he has stood for simply because he didn’t vote. I know you’re wiser than that, Stephen A.