Originally Posted by
steelreserve
Let me talk about that part first, as it ties in to the bigger point you are making about civility and respect in general as it relates to the current political climate.
I firmly believe that the protesters would have found a far, far more receptive audience if they had not picked what is quite likely THE worst possible time, place, and manner to get their point across. Not specifically because it's the flag, or because of people's feelings about patriotism and whatever - but simply because the meaning was already taken by something else and was very firmly established. Double bonus that the specific meaning for many people (honoring war veterans) is largely unrelated to what the protests are about, AND is often a very powerful and personal one.
I literally cannot think of any better way to take the focus off of your own message and get people talking instead about whether or not YOU are a jerk. Which is exactly what happened.
There are some people who say, "Well, the whole point is that you NEED to draw attention to the cause, so choosing a target like that and making people 'uncomfortable' was a brilliant move!" On a practical basis, I would disagree very strongly with that. Alienating people is certainly one way of getting their attention, but generally does the opposite of converting them to your cause. Especially since this is an issue that most people, by and large, were already aware of; you were not going to find any new recruits to your cause that way.
The one thing it probably DOES do is strengthen people's existing opinions on the subject. Either you already agree with their point and you get more galvanized in favor of it, or you already disagree with their point and now you start resenting them for their actions, not just disagreeing with their message.
For example, last time I took my kids to the circus, these assholes were outside with posters of animals being beaten and tortured, and they were shouting at everyone who was walking in the door. My reaction was not "Now that you have my attention, I'll consider your point," it was "I came here to enjoy myself, not get a lecture on morality, so FUCK YOU and your cause." And this was for a protest that, while more in-your-face than kneeling for a song is, was actually somewhat relevant to the event. Certainly a lot more connected to the circus than general racial anger is connected to a football game. The overall principle is the same, though - you are not going to win any converts that way, just amplify existing opinions and get people angrier at each other.
And in a broader sense, this is just a microcosm of the entire political climate. On almost every significant topic, everyone has their minds made up and their heels dug in, and the only "discussion" that takes place is primarily through an endless stream of soundbites and memes trying to paint the other side as people who are crazy or evil with no real reason for being that way. And the more that goes on, the more it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; people's political opinions and social discourse really ARE reduced to the mental equivalent of potato chips. A real problem with the country and the Kaepernick story is a great example of it.
edit: I just wanted to say that overall, I do think your point is right on the money, and a lot of people on both sides of the political spectrum share the blame for the monkey-shit-fight that is the current state of public affairs.