Mahalo, Saveparadise. Your point of view is well taken. I agree with you. The logic seems contradictory at first. But from another perspective, when we think of our flag and anthem as representing the U.S. and what our country stands for, then the symbolic gesture of peaceful protest may not seem all that contradictory. In a very real sense, the flag and anthem are symbols of our kind of democracy -- where a single citizen has the right to peacefully protest against the government and entire nation. To protect and respect this privilege, many -- too many -- have sacrificed life and limb. In a way, the kneeling or sitting NFL player or staff is symbolic of our highest ideal -- the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...or the right of the people...to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."