What the protest is about

[RaynorShyne]

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691077/article/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-sat-during-national-anthem

So - to put it simply:

              YES - it's about protesting the flag.
              YES - it's about protesting the United States as a flawed country

Most of this shit started with Nessa Diab - Kaepernick's girlfiend and quite possibly one of the most radical, real-racist persons in the US.  Kap's activism started after he started dating this princess:
http://dailycaller.com/2016/08/31/kaepernicks-support-of-black-lives-matter-began-after-dating-activist-dj/
http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/08/30/kaepernick-social-media-posts-laud-black-lives-matter-black-panthers-since-dating-activist-dj.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4761014/Colin-Kaepernick-GF-says-Ravens-owner-slave-master.html

No one cared when these guys protested and ranted about killing cops.  Nor when the President of the United States fully supported them:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/12/obama-defends-black-lives-matter-protests-police-m/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2016/jul/15/obama-defends-black-lives-matter-movement-video
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/black-lives-matter-barack-obama-rejects-petition-terrorist-organisation-we-the-people-a7143536.html

In fact: some bemoaned he didn't do more:  
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/01/obama-black-lives-matter-epilogue-170126073428660.html

The current protest "Against Trump" is because he's said this:
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect.......our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!

There's no confusion - there's cowardice and defense.  

How would the Steelers of the 70's dealt with it?  An interviewer asked Franco:

"Like other critics, Harris contends that Kaepernick should have chosen another venue to protest, one that didn't include the NFL. So how would those '70s and '80s Steelers' teams have handled a player taking a knee during the anthem? 


Swiftly and face-to-face, to hear Harris tell it.

“You stand for the flag,” Harris said. “And … we are all behind the flag. … But when he puts on that suit, when he steps out on that field, now it’s more than just him. It’s his teammates, it’s the NFL, and it’s the fans. And when he puts that suit on it is not just about him and his position and the things that he wants to back and he wants to believe in. Because the team has to come first.”

He added: “And if he wants to make statements, take a position, then that’s fine. Absolutely, go do that. But there’s no reason why you couldn’t do it after practice … on another platform than doing it with his suit on and at the stadium.”

http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/09/06/heres-how-two-steelers-of-1970s-would-have-dealt-with-colin-kaepernick-protest-hall-of-famer-says/