People claim to love the flag, everything it stands for, and despise any affront to it, actual or perceived. But how can anyone make that claim, and in the same sentence attempt to restrict someone else's right to peaceful protest, someone else's right to freedom of speech, and to restrict or deny someone else's right (more accurately stated "duty") to hold the government accountable for their actions.
Regardless of whatever specific emotion you may be feeling in relation to the NFL players protests, every single American should be showing whole hearted support for the players right to do so. Preventing the players from protesting by whatever means, is by far a more severe affront to what that flag stands for - than any "take a knee in protest" movement could ever be.
As an example, I completely despise everything that the KKK and Neo-Nazi scumbags stand for, and every time I see one of their so called "marches", every time I see them spreading hate, and every time I see them expressing their ignorance in all it's glory, it provides me with a lifetime dose of disgust, and literally rolls my stomach. With that being said, I will gladly fight to my dying breath in support of their right to do so. Regardless of how badly I despise everything they stand for, their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech, is no more or less important than mine.
Not only is it my right to protest and or counter protest anything I feel the need to, but it is my duty as an American wanting change...
RE: Stand for the flag, or get off the field and forfeit your pay