If a Flag Salute were a Handshake, would you Shake America's Hand?

 (Note:This blog was rewritten some 6/20/18 and will likely be rewritten some more.)

 Danny sat down the morning paper, a stern feeling crossing through him as the latest news on the separation of immigrant children from their parents settled in is mind. He looked out window, spotting his American flag waving in the wind.
  He turned on his computer, called up YouTube, and searched for the National Anthem. Turning it up as loud as he could, he marched outside in front of his flag.
  And, took a knee.
  When his neighbors, the Heidelheisters, came walking by, spotting what was happening, he yelled out, jestfully, "I couldn't find an NFL game to participate in. Not many going on this time of day in our neighborhood, are there?"
  Todd Heidelheister gave him a quizical look.
  "I'm glad you came by," Danny said. "Can I explain what I'm thinking?"
   "Ivan, I've never known you to be anything but patriotic," Todd said. "Do, indeed, tell us what is going on."
   Danny stood up. The National Anthem was ending. He walked down the sidewalk and reached his hand out to shake it with the Heidleheisters.
   Todd started to put his hand out, to take the handshake, but then quickly drew it back. "Sorry, Danny, I know it seems a little disrespectful of you to not shake your hand, but, I won't just now. I don't want to shake it -- not after what you've just done. It would be kind of like condoning what you've just done."
   Danny smiled. He moved his hand over toward Melanie Heidelheister, but she declined his handshake, as well. "No, Danny, I'm not going to shake your hand either," she said. "I'm afraid I'd feel like I was congratulating you for what you've just done. Like Todd said, I know this is kind of disrespectful toward you, but . . ."
  Ivan's soft smile faded from his face. He looked away from the Heidelheisters and over at his flag. "You know, I feel the same way as the two of you," he said. "See, I've been listening to the news -- all the news about children being taken from their parents down there on the border. It's just not right."
  He paused, and his lips pursed for a moment.  "I guess I feel that with what's happening down there with these children, no, I don't want to be supportive of it. If I am going to send a message right now, it's going to be just the opposite. It's going to say, 'America, I'm not a blind patriot. I support you when you are good, but not when you're not. I salute you when you because you are a noble and great country -- one that I can honor. But, right now, I can't honor what you are doing. Right now, I'm not much in the mood for saluting you.
  He paused again, sighing. "Todd and Mel," he said, "I don't salute that flag for any other reason than for what it stands for, and when it quits standing for what it should, my salute goes away."
   He looked down at the ground. "I guess I understand now how those NFL players feel. They are ashamed of the way we the police are treating the blacks. They're a lot like the two of you. You look at me, and disapprove of my behavior, and say you aren't going to shake my hand. They look at what America has done, and they feel the same -- they don't want to shake hands with a country when its doing things they can't condone. They don't want to congratulate and salute bad behavior."
   "I  understand them, now."
   Todd and Melanie looked back at him across the fence gate. Todd smiled. Melanie smiled. "We understand you, now," one of them said. "We respect you even more than we did before." Todd and Melanie extended their hands, offering handshakes that moments before they had refused to give.