LETTER: Kaepernick and the Betsy Ross flag

Colin Kaepernick is an angry young man. It seems he can find something wrong with almost anything, including the flag of the 13 colonies. He is an intelligent person. Perhaps he could channel his ideas in a more constructive way.

Where does this flag represent slavery? To me it represents 13 proud American Colonies protesting oppression by Great Britain. Does anyone remember history documenting that England raised taxes on the colonists? Does anyone remember the Tax Act? The Boston Tea Party?

Folks, read your American history. England enslaved many in the colonies by sending indentured bond slaves (white) from England to serve for seven years before obtaining freedom. Is that slavery?

Wealthy Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw Indians from states such as Georgia took their black slaves to the Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma in the 1830s. Read “The Trail of Tears.”

As a Depression-era child, I grew up in small oil field communities in Oklahoma, seeing only white people and black people. I was taught to respect everyone regardless of race.

I think American history should be required in every school and college in America.