About this this kneeling at sports contests business: The main objection to athletes doing this seems to be that they are at work, and shouldn't be allowed to protest at work.
Well..I work too, and never in my work career have I been asked to stand up and sing the National Anthem. There is nothing in any pro athlete's contract that requires him or her to pay respect to the National Anthem at the beginning of games. They are paid to play football, or baseball, or basketball.
There is a reason for this arrangement, for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance or singing the Anthem at work. First, not all employees are American citizens. There is a such thing as a green card, and asking a Canadian, for instance, to sing the Anthem at work is silly. Second, work is about getting work done, not about patriotism. Business owners and workers know they can say the Pledge any time they want to, when they are off. There is no reason to clutter work with patriotic ceremony. And finally, a company isn't the government or society. It is the government's and society's job to inspire patriotism, not the night manager at CVS pharmacy. Businesses intelligently see no need to bring up matters at work that have nothing to do with getting the job done.
As much as we all yearn for common ground, including respect for the flag and the Anthem, forced patriotism is not patriotism. Making people do what they are not inclined to do builds society on a lie.
I don't like public disrespect for sacred objects either, but I am not so stupid as to think that forcing people to do what they do not want to do is the answer. It doesn't change anything. In fact, the more you suppress feelings like this, the more resentful the protesters become. Doesn't anyone remember the 1960s?
Isn't it true that the more people comment negatively on the kneeling, the more it is happening? Of course it is. After Trump's whine fest yesterday, a baseball player did it for the first time. Now that Trump has engaged Steph Curry, it is almost certain to become more common at basketball games as well.
Just let it go. People will always protest. It human nature to protest, and complain, and whine, and make grievances known. The way to make it go away, if that is your goal, is to listen to them in the first place. Most reasonable people feel less need to protest, or to support other people's protests, when concerns are heard.
If you want to stop this, listen. Listen, hear, and reflect compassionately.