As a retired police officer, who worked front and center during the Freddie Grey riots and who dealt with racial issues daily based on the locations I mainly worked at, I want to thank your son for his service out there now.
As for the rest of your thoughts, I can see where you are going with it. Not that my opinion truly matters in the end, but definitely sleep on it.
Baseball, while it looks like it “chose” a side, did the least possible out of the three “major” sports. They aren’t putting written messages on their jerseys, fields, ect. Players didn’t speak up as much on social media as other sports and the one player who tends to turn everything political, didn’t opt out of the season, despite all of his whining. The predominant support of the factions you are referring to isn’t prevalent in baseball. Soccer has been more politically aligned.
Unfortunately, I never got to serve under the flag like you did, so I might not feel the same way about it as you. I don’t like the kneeling either, but my stance has softened a bit about it. I still think the origins behind the reason for it are totally suspect (that can be a discussion for another time, if interested) and I still think it is not the best way, considering the circumstances behind the reason things hit a boiling point so far, but I will take it over the host of other stuff other leagues are not only allowing, but encouraging.
This is a great site and the members are what makes it the way it is. There is a line on here that isn’t crossed. After possibly spending all day being inundated by news and opinions, coming here is great. I can see why it seems bad when the sport you love seems to cross that line, but in the end, did they not only step over the line, but spit on it, or straddle the line?