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Whatever are the current politics of the nation. It's a symbol whose meaning shifts based on the current direction of the nation and the position of those viewing it.What political ideology does a flag represent?
A flag and anthem are not reflective of an athlete, or persons political view.
A flag and anthem are reflective of a nation's politics. I used the Kaep example because Kaep kneeled to express disagreement with a nation's action. And pretty much everyone in the country understood that not standing for the anthem was a political gesture. People who agreed with him said it's right to express your political position by not showing deference to the anthem. People who disagreed with him said that not standing for an anthem is a disrespectful gesture.
Both parties disagreed on Kaep's message but they both agreed that the anthem had meaning as a reflection of the nation and its values.
And the U.S. anthem/flag aren't unique in that fashion. Every flag carries the political weight of the country that it represents. Every time you ask someone to show deference to a anthem/flag and they don't agree with that nation's politics, you have introduced politics into the scenario.