I'll tell you what!! Lets be adults, we are in disagreement, let's stop here and move on. I am not explaining myself clearly, and you don't understand, so let's leave it at that, and go raid the fridg. and enjoy the day!!
You are not explaining youself clearly because your point is dead wrong. Respect isn't just something you "feel". It is something you express by your actions. What you do to show respect is not to impress other people but to openly express your respect.
I can imagine what would have happened if when I was serving I had failed to refer to a superior officer as sir but explained that I felt respect for him anyway. Similarly if your are instructed to do something or go a direction by a police officer but tell him you choose not to but you feel respect for him it won't go very well.
The whole point of public athletic figures taking a knee during the national anthem is to express their own disrespect. To say it doesn't matter what they do but only how they feel is blowing smoke up your own skirt.
