Please do not confuse blind obedience with real patriotism. Standing for the flag because you're "supposed to" is LESS patriotic than standing for the ideals represented by our Constitution. Respect for our Constitution comes before respect for the flag, the anthem, the President. So know that the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and contains the ideal that "all men are created equal". If this country is not living up to that ideal, then athletes are choosing the only platform they have available to bring attention to that fact. Black men are shot by the police twice as often in percentages than white men. That is a verifiable fact. And now you know that because the NFL has brought your attention to it. And so that was a patriotic thing to do.