If only we were like angels.

Philosophers tell us that because they are preternatural beings, angels can tell the best course of action at first glance.

We mortals, on the other hand, aren't so blessed. If ever we needed proof, look no further than the National Football League's anthem fiasco.

Indeed, no one in this sad episode has been an angel. Not even close. But what if we had tried to act with a little angelic foresight each step along the way?

For instance, consider the person who started all of this, ex-professional quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He might have more prudently deliberated the consequences of his action prior to protesting the national anthem before a 2016 preseason game by remaining seated. Instead of accomplishing anything of value, he opened Pandora's box by inflaming already stoked passions.

Here is what he said at the time: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." He continued he would continue to sit until "[the American flag] represents what it's supposed to represent."

Which, let's be honest, would be never. The United States has never been perfect and never will be. Corporately, we have committed many sins.

Even so, our great (albeit flawed) nation is the best of all the other imperfect 190+ countries on the planet. Its wealth and opportunities allowed a white Wisconsin couple to adopt a baby boy, move with him to California to pursue even greater opportunities, enabled colleges to have enough wealth to recruit that young man when he excelled in sports, and provided enough resources so that he was drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft and made the most of his opportunity when he replaced his team's injured starter, eventually earning $16 million doing so. For playing a game.

That young man? Colin Kaepernick.

Had he been an angel, the unemployed QB might have reflected about whether sitting or kneeling or staying in the locker room was really the best way of making his point. Maybe he could have announced a substantial donation to Black Lives Matter. It still would have been controversial, but he could have used that announcement as a platform to explain his views in a way people would actually have heard. He could have become their public spokesman. He could have led off every postgame press availability with a statement on oppression and racism.

Instead we must ask him and those who followed his example: what have they accomplished by their protests? Have more people come to believe police brutality is a true crisis? Are more Americans convinced we live in a racist society that unfairly stacks the deck against minorities? Has there even been any real dialogue about these issues?

From my admittedly limited observation, the answer is absolutely not. If anything, it has terribly divided us, for most Americans consider disrespect for the flag and the national anthem as being an attack on all they hold dear.

Had they been angels, the protestors might have tried to fashion a much more effective message that could have actually been heard. Maybe they could have made a short film to demonstrate their concerns in a way that filled people's hearts with compassion and empathy.

Instead they have set people in intransigent opposition to one another.

Similarly, if the President was an angel, he might have thought better than to peevishly play to his base in the most undignified manner imaginable by hurling profanity, invectives and insults.

No doubt President Trump spoke for many. But could he not have said the same thing in a more dignified — dare we hope — presidential way?

Might he instead have said such as, "Everyone in this great land of ours has a right to protest. The men who fought for that flag and the ideals implied in our anthem fought for that right. But there is a time and place for everything. And when you are on the clock, I would argue that you represent your employer. And out of respect for your employer and respect for your fellow citizens who pay your exorbitant salary, do the right thing: Stand for the anthem." Alternative delivery, same message.

Instead we got something far different. Saints QB and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees spoke for many when he said, "I think it's very unbecoming of the office of the President of the United States to talk like that, to degrade people like that. And obviously he's disappointed a lot of people."

Then there's the players' response. Now since Sunday, they have bent over backward to make it known they weren't disrespecting the anthem but standing up for their teammates. And themselves.

The Dolphins' Michael Thomas observed, "You're the leader of the free world, that's what you're talking about? As a man, as a father, as an African-American man, as somebody in the NFL who's one of those sons of b------, you know, yeah, I took it personally."

Buffalo's Eric Wood noted, “It's kind of fighting fire with fire.... As a player that's not affected by the issues and has never thought about taking a knee -- and I wouldn't -- it made me even feel a certain type of way. He's attacking the NFL community.”

As for remaining in the locker room, there was a certain logic behind it that wasn't necessarily disrespectful. Rather, if we in good will take them at their word, these teams were trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

Said Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after his team's game with the Chicago Bears, “Many of them felt like something needed to be done.... They discussed it for an appropriate length of time, and they couldn’t [agree about a course of action], so they chose to remove themselves from it. They were not going to be disrespectful in the anthem, so they chose not to participate, but at the same time many of them were not going to accept the words of the President.”

But as we flacks say, good intentions notwithstanding, what both the NFL and the President did was bad optics. The President is our secular pope. Can you imagine if His Holiness came out and attacked anyone with such profane language?

Additionally the flag is our secular crucifix and the anthem our secular, uniting hymn. Like the Queen in England, it is our unifying locus.

This is why, rightly or wrongly, so many fans agree with the President's assessment of those who follow Kaepernick's lead.

Furthermore besides love of the sport, the only reason most fans watch a game is this: They simply want three hours of vicarious escapism. They want to forget about their world and experience something beyond their humdrum existence.

What they definitely don't want is politics. They don't care about the players' political views. They certainly don't want to be spoken down to about their beloved nation's supposed immorality by people who they believe majored in underwater basket weaving and whom they think have not lived the most moral of lives. (This belief may be unfair, but it is common.)

Had both teams in every contest this past weekend held a joint news conference before their game, all sports reporters would have attended, TV cameras would have carried it live, highlights would have replayed on newscasts over the week, and these athletes would have received a fair hearing from millions of fans. Over the ensuing days, people would have had thoughtful discussions. 

Instead nearly everyone focused on and fed into the sturm und drang, the controversy, the conflict. And our Monday morning quarterbacking the next day had less to do with play on the field and more on questions of, "What on earth is happening?"

I don't know if there is a way out of this. I don't pretend to know what it will take for us to stand around the warm glow of our TVs and sing, "Kumbaya." 

But I do know that with a little angelic foresight (and just maybe a lot of prayer), people of good will can at least come to an understanding of one another's sincerely held position in such a way that we will stop demonizing one another.

Now that would be heavenly.