I am NOT ceding their point that disrespect is being shown by kneeling, NOR in kneeling DURING THE ANTHEM. It is very much THE POINT that the protest happen DURING the anthem.

It is very much THE POINT that this is to make public that there is something VERY WRONG with “Observance” of the Flag and Anthem in America when those “Liturgies” are done while Freedoms are being denied from its citizens by government employees, and by a racist administration, and a known racist President. That IS the point.

And it IS the height of respect that this is protested rather than tolerated, or even supported. THAT is the issue. Taking a knee BEFORE or AFTER or SOMEWHERE ELSE does not make that point. It HAS TO BE DURING the anthem. THAT’S THE POINT.

Get it?

Can you imagine the Civil Rights protests taking place in the town squares in various Southern Cities, and the towns police or leaders coming to the demonstrators who are kneeling in the square, and saying “Y’all go on back to your churches and hold your meetings”. Would the demonstrators say “Oh, certainly. We don’t want to “disrupt” anything. Of course we’ll get out of your sight so you won’t have to think about what this means”.

And yet, this is what people who are calling this NFL protest “disrespectful of the flag” are asking. They consider the style of observance of more importance than the truths behind the observance itself. But the truths therein absolutely provide for the full throated, public protest of the failures to live up to the message and symbols of those observances.

Anything less is DISRESPECTFUL of that flag and that anthem. Indeed, it makes a mockery and a sham of them.

Get it?