I agree with Erin's take.
And, I'll add that kneeling in front of the flag is not a sign of disrespect. They're not flipping off or mooning the flag or doing a drunken Rosanne Barr rendition of the anthem, and it's not intended against the country or anything any one of us who have served in the armed forces have defended. It's simply a passive and respectful posture to state that something in their opinion is not right and needs to get fixed in this free society we have. In fact, it's the kind of freedom we hope to have, to be able to express one's opinion respectfully in a free and open society.
If we want to talk respect for the flag, what I was taught in the USMC is that you're not to treat the flag like clothing or let it drag on the ground or present it a flippant way or the like. Yet you see people from all walks of life doing this, using the image of the flag for a beer coozy or a bandana or a pair of pants, and yet no one criticizes them. I personally don't offended by that, but I find it ironic when you see someone who is literally using the flag as a pair of britches criticize someone else for disrespect for that same flag.
And, I'll have to say that I'm really tired of the over-patriotizing and over-politicizing of sporting events in general. It used to be that we had a single national anthem and we all recognized the country and then we got on with the fun of the game and that was it. Now, you go to a MLB game and every time you turn around, it's time to honor another veteran (all well deserved of course, but still), and in the 7th inning stretch now we're told to stand and take off our caps and honor the country for God Bless America, which we just got through doing 6 and half innings ago with the anthem. What happened to Take Me Out to the Ballgame? What happened to being able to go to a game and just lose yourself in it? A game is supposed to be a fun and carefree time, not a constant reminder of duty and sacrifice.
But you see, neither you nor I get to tell the people that are offended by it, the people that believe to be disrespectful, that their opinions are wrong. That's the whole point of it all. The kneeling protesters are free to their beliefs, but the people that find it disrespectful are free to theirs as well.
I can't tell the "kneeling protester" that he shouldn't feel aggrieved by the problems he sees in society, but I also can't tell the "offended patriot" that he shouldn't find it disrespectful. You don't get to make that determination. None of us do.
In general, I agree with the sentiment of your post. But what I highlighted above and what I responded to, are something really key that the "kneeling protesters"-- and those that agree with them-- just keep on missing.
It's important to point out that the kneeling protesters are doing this deliberately, in order to gain attention and press their point. They're not doing it unknowingly, it's precisely because it's such a volatile issue, that they choose to do it. So let's not pretend they're just casually kneeling around. I don't seem them doing it during the Budweiser commercial or the Dr. Pepper halftime football toss contest to win $20,000 and free Dr. Pepper for life. They're choosing to do it specifically during the singing of the national anthem, because they know that is the most highly charged choice they can make, and therefore gain attention for their cause.
All of that is fine from a First Amendment perspective, the government can't throw then in jail for it. But that doesn't mean that their choices and political statements won't have consequences. One of which, is that it IS considered disrespectful by, and it DOES offend, various groups of American citizens.
And nobody-- NOBODY-- has the right to tell them they can't be offended by it.
