Barack Obama just made some very interesting comments to people who want to protest the way black people are being treated by the criminal justice system ... and it seems it may have been influenced by Colin Kaepernick.
"If you are really concerned about how the criminal justice system treats African-Americans ... the best way to protest is to vote," Obama said Friday in a speech at the Univ. of Illinois.
We should note he never mentioned Kaepernick by name -- or even referenced the NFL or kneeling.
But Colin has famously told the media that he didn't participate in the 2016 election -- saying, "You know, I think it would be hypocritical of me to vote."
"I said from the beginning I was against oppression, I was against the system of oppression. I'm not going to show support for that system. And to me, the oppressor isn't going to allow you to vote your way out of your oppression."
Fast-forward to Obama ... who drilled down on the importance of voting.
"[Don't just vote] for senators and representatives -- but for mayors and sheriffs and state legislators."
He continued, "Do what they just did in Philadelphia and Boston and elect state's attorneys and district attorneys who are looking at issues in a new light ... who realize that the vast majority of law enforcement do the right thing in a really hard job and we just need to make sure ALL of them do."