I don't entirely agree with your post but I will grant you that the idea that this situation has been boiled down to if you support the players your'e un-patriotic and if you support the flag you're a racist, cop lover.  It was never that simple.  It is however why I think it was a colossally bad idea to protest with the anthem in the first place.  Yes, it drew attention but it also drew away from the message.

I'm a 26 year veteran and I went to work every day because doing so made me feel good and made me feel a part of something bigger than myself.  Did I appreciate someone saying thank you when I was out at lunch in my uniform?  Of course.  Did I need someone to say thank you to validate my decision to serve?  Absolutely not.  Players kneeling or standing changes nothing for me.  Can I have the opinion that they should stand?  Of course.  Does that make me a racist?  No, it doesn't and on the flip side, you can love America and be a patriot without wearing a flag pin on your lapel.