Authoritarian is not the issue. The flag represents our country and saluting it does matter. White or black, all NFL players represent the USA in our favorite sport. In the NFL a majority of the players are black and in 2017 they are not discriminated and are paid millions of dollars to represent their team and their country.Every player should be proud and consider themselves lucky to work in the greatest country in the world. Under our laws everyone is equal and should respect our flag and what it represents. Football American style is only played professionally in a few countries. Soccer is the world sport. When the national anthem is played in other counties people stand and salute their flag.

I was in Canada to see the Canadian Mounties perform their "Musical Ride" in a small town of Clinton Ontario. They sang their national anthem in English and French. All 5,000 people plus the Mounties on horseback saluted the flag of their country to show respect. We should do the same in the USA. President Trump is right, we need to make America Great Again.

I agree with you, Dave. Although I stand and sing with every national anthem I feel that everyone has the right to observe as they wish. That's what makes the United States unique--its ability to accomodate all viewpoints. I would hate to think that ability would give way to those who want us to ignore the problems of our country.
The previous poster mentions that the players are being paid so shut up--the players are representing those who don't have a voice. He also praises the Canadians at the Musical Ride--well, I dare say if you attend the Military Tatoo at the Iwo Jima monument in Washington, DC, you will not see any protests either. Consider your audience at the Musical Ride. It would be better to watch the crowds at the Canadian football games and compare how many sing there.