Which real issue: That police are rarely held accountable for abuses? Racism in law enforcement? Excessive force? That "freedom of speech" is only for speech of which we approve? That we remain a racist nation? I well remember the clamor at the 1968 Olympics.

forcing patriotism is fascism.
It's a no win situation for black protesters if this goes forward. If black players stay in the locker room while whites stand on the field it will signal to the Alt-right that black don't care about the nation. If a black players kneel, their team will get a penalty.
One option could be to stand with fist high and change the discourse.

I'm hoping we see tweets of kneeling players in locker rooms. And I don't even have a Twitter account.

I probably have a slightly unique view for a retired 22 year Navy vet and still work work in the defense industry. Initially I had a problem, but that was more about who than what. Now i Iook at it this way, if you have the stage use it. A gun nut would do it to save his guns. The Anthem at NFL games isn't quite as historical as the let on anyway, Its only been required since 2009.

"It's been said that racism is so American, that when we protest racism, some assume we are protesting America. " Beyonce

Here’s what drives me nuts. The protestors say they are doing it to stand against inequalities in the criminal justice system.

Then the counternarrative becomes they are disrespecting the military?

What? How the fuck you get from point a to point b. They aren’t even trying to hide they are just making shit up anymore.

The real issue is that people should protest on their own time, not at work. Otherwise their employer should fire them for annoying the paying customers.

Why not have the national anthem played at the beginning of the PGA or Tennis or soccer. The orange headed raccoon opts to go after football and his followers put on their patriotic underwear. I wish the football players would walk off the field and let the fans blow a new one up their butts.

Trump is only pandering to the right. Everyone with a brain knows why Colin Kaepernick started the national anthem protests.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Gawd, I hate stupid people!