They made clear what the protest is about, i don't know how people insist to change the narrative, the protest is what protesters say it is, not what other people insist to perceive.
Aprotest isn't supposed to let everyone feel confortable, drinking some soda and laughing, its supposed to make people unconfortable, make people think and debate.
Racism isn't just slavery, burning black people alive, etc, there are levels of this, explicit, implicit, people that don't even know they are racist, its structural, its pretty easy to deny racism when you are white.
And some of you north-americans are so sensitive to this, this kind of protest is so softcore, kneeling? This ain't nothing, check some protest in Europe or Latin America.
Stop with the forced patriotism, kneeling isn't disrespectful, maybe if a player pretended to poop during the anthem it would be.
To me, forcing people (african americans) to enjoy and be proud of an anthem created by a racist, while the anthem itself is kinda racist (third verse) is WAY more disrespectiful, do you think that black americans are/should proud of the Declaration of Independence for exemple? Black people should despise the 4th of July, and if I were north-american i would ignore the 4th, even being white as i am, i would not celebrate.
And even if you consider it disrespectful, you can't FORCE respect, people CHOOSE to respect, freedom of speech is valid against social sanction.
Also, the Anthem isn't exclusive for the military, kneeling isn't disrespectful towards them, the Anthem is(should) be a symbol for all north-americans, the military don't have privilegy over the anthem, they choose to serve the country.
Finally, if you are so patriotic, go enlist to the military.