I'm a veteran of the United States Military, and an ex-cop to boot. I was and always will be proud to have served my country, our country. So what I'm about to say, I say as someone who served, as someone who placed his life at risk for our nation, and as a patriot.
Here's how it is. The flag, anthem and military have nothing to do with football, so if you object to having these things shoehorned into the sport, then any objections you may have about the take a knee protest relating to taking place while you are trying to watch the game may hold as valid. However if you don't object to the flag waving, national anthem and military displays being shoved down the throats of the players and the fans, then any objections you may express are specifically against the protesters and what they're protesting. Since they're protesting the kind of institutionalized racism that has led to people of colour, innocent of any wrong doing being killed, your objections can only be interpreted as a discomfort with the notion of treating ALL Americans equally, regardless of ethnic background, or anything else for that matter.
The truth is, equality only feels like oppression to the privileged.
So if you want to honour the service of we who risked all for your freedom, don't disparage those who fight for equality for all Americans.
They're not protesting the flag,
They're not protesting the military,
They're not protesting the anthem,
They're bringing injustice into the light,
They're protesting institutionalized racism,
They're exercising their 1st amendment rights,
Their action is respecting what the flag represents,
Their protest is giving a voice to those who have none,
They're being peaceful, respectful and above all, patriotic!
Because Real Americans don't stand for Injustice and Evil!

As an Army veteran of both wars, I couldn’t care less. They could scratch their asses through the Anthem if they wanted to. This fake patrolism from the right disgusts me. If you care about veterans, stop making wounded ones.

Had Tom Brady kneeled at the anthem and announced he was praying for his mom when she had cancer, the whole stadium probably would have joined him. And what about those who locked arms, people didn't seem to mind that? How is this different from kneeling? They both use the anthem to send some sort of message.
The notion of disrespecting the military is a red herring. The real reason people are upset at kneeling for the anthem is because this is what Colin Kaepernick did when he announced he was protesting police brutality of blacks; people just don't want to hear it.

I don't think it's necessarily effective, but I support their right to protest — and taking a knee is one of the most benign and respectful forms of protest that I can think of. I think there's much ado about nothing.

Imo, people who are upset or offended over people taking a knee are control freaks. "They are disrespecting the flag." It's a piece of cloth. I don't get it. Is a song and flag more important than human lives? No one is getting hurt while others kneel.

I do what most Americans do... stay home and not pay for the high price to be at a game. I don't bother to stand up nor do I take a knee. I just sit on my arse... LOL

I support their right to do so, but the horrible president uses this against you. He is a sick man who shouldn't be in the White House.

I don't see billionaires like Trump, Mnuchin or Tillerson sending their sons and daughters to serve in the military!!!

I'm proud of anyone who honestly stands up against corrupt, oppressive entities.

its personal choice and in the song it says land of the free

Taking a knee is another form of showing respect.

Gosh I remember in the UK when they used to play the national anthem at the end of a film in the cinema and people used to stand up!! Not joking!! That would never happen today thank fook

There is a growing group of people that have bastardized what the symbol originally was, and have poisoned people against its purpose—stop the police (and others) from getting away with killing innocent people of color.

I ask you, what is so wrong about treating people fairly?

That is what its opposers are fighting. These opposers do not want equal rights—safety, pay, respect—for people different than them. They hope people who don’t sin the way that they do (the poor, non-whites), continue to die by the hand that is paid to protect them (the police).

As a patriot and as a veteran, I consider it a respectful response.

I think it's much ado about nothing. The protest itself definitely isn't nothing. The players are kneeling to draw attention to police brutality, racial profiling and discrimination, all issues which should be addressed, discussed and changed. The nothing is the controversy. Our supreme court settled the matter over forced gestures of patriotism the back in the 1940's. This case extends to and protects the protesting players. So the legality of the players protesting isn't even a question. The cretin in our oval office is trying to confound this issue with patriotism by alledging the players are protesting the anthem and our military. This is just ridiculous as the entire movement was suggested by a veteran.

@MrLizard It certainly seems to be effective as it's pissing a certain sorta person off and that's surely the entire point! It would not work as a protest if it didn't annoy anyone at all surely?

@Krieg It used to be on at the end of the only tv channel for ages as well!!

If a crippled war Vetern crawled out of a wheel chair and got to his knees. Then yes on that kneeling. There's a time and a place to protest. Not on a ball field. Thats not only a disgrace to my flag, but to me and everyone on the field that has to see it.

I am an avid NFL fan-they are exercising their freedom of speech vs racial injustice-I am all for it

Time out to do your ironing.