'I am going to make a speech with strong language that will contain the N-word in it, but it is not meant to offend all black people - I'm only trying to make a point about some black people, though I will be vague and speak in broad terms when using the N-word.  Even though it might unintentionally offend some people, it is my right to make the speech and I do not want anyone to critique my speech: it is my right to make it.'

The point:
Players certainly have the right to take knees during the anthem, but they fail to see that some things are sacred to a lot of people and can evoke really strong emotions.  They also fail to see their approach comes across as a blanket statement of "F America", where as a clear, concise message about a particular issue would have been hard for anyone to argue with.

You can't use things that are sacred to other people and then be annoyed when others become offended by it - be prepared for the consequences... (looking at you, NFL).