It should be repeated that the NFL national anthem protest that Colin Kaepernick started was not about the anthem itself, but about ending police brutality. From its social justice origins, it evolved into a larger conversation about white supremacy, Donald Trump and so on.

Although Kaepernick wasn't against the anthem, the California NAACP is. The West Coast arm of the civil rights organization wants the song gone, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In fact, the NAACP has gone so far as to file an official resolution demanding that Congress removed and replaced "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the country's national anthem because it is “one of the most racist, pro-slavery, anti-black songs in the American lexicon.”

You're probably going over the lyrics now, looking for where the problem lies.

It turns out that the whole song isn't sung at ball games and on the Fourth of July. There's third and fourth stanzas that the song's writer, Francis Scott Key, added in 1814, during the War of 1812.

Although the fourth stanza has problematic imperialistic overtones, it is the third stanza that the NAACP has found fault with, specifically the lines: "Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution/No refuge could save the hireling and slave/From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave."

Time for a quick history refresher!

The national anthem was written in 1814 based on an experience Key had during the War of 1812, which was fought against the British. During that war, many American slaves joined the British side, having been promised freedom in exchange for their time on the battlefield. The "their" in the lines the NAACP calls racist refers to these slaves.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Key, a successful lawyer, owned slaves. And although he seemed to have evolved on the issue during his life, he was also a staunch anti-abolitionist.

"We are not anti-flag," California NAACP chapter president Alice Huffman told Bustle. "However, when 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was written it did not include us African Americans. Most Americans only know the first part of the song but [the song's author] added a third stanza to the song right after America lost the battle in 1815 decrying the former slaves who were now working for the British army."

Of course, there is already pushback to the NAACP's call.

“Our flag and national anthem unite us as Americans,” said Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen. “Protesting our flag and national anthem sows division and disrespects the diverse Americans who have proudly fought and died for our country. Real social change can only happen if we work together as Americans first.” Allen is running to be California's next Governor in 2018.

“This song is wrong,” Huffman told a CBS Seattle affiliate. “It should never have been there, and just like we didn’t have it until 1931, it won’t kill us if it goes away.”

The Star-Spangled Banner

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