Drew Brees, the quarterback of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, just doesn’t seem to get it.
In a interview with Yahoo Finance On Wednesday, the professional athlete doubled down on his disagreement with those who kneel during the national anthem as an act of social protest. And in doing so, he demonstrated a remarkable lack of understanding of the purpose of the protest.
“I will never agree with anyone disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” Brees said during the interview with Daniel Roberts. “Let me just tell you what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played and when I look at the flag of the United States. I imagine my two grandfathers, who fought for this country for World War II, one in the Army and the other in the Marine Corps, both risking their lives to protect our country and try to make our country and this world a better place.
“And in many cases it makes me cry thinking about all that was sacrificed,” he added. “Not just the military but, for that matter, those who participated in the civil rights movements of the ’60s and everyone and everything that has been endured by so many up until now.”
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 05: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints stands on the field at … (+)
This isn’t a new opinion from Brees, he was outspoken on the issue when former NFL player Colin Kaepernick first started protesting in the NFL during the 2017 season. But what also hasn’t changed is that kneeling protest is not about disrespecting a flag, but about showing respect for something different.
This is about respecting the demand for racial justice.
As the nation reels from protests following yet another shooting of an unarmed black man, it is hard not to understand why so many Americans, especially African Americans, feel disrespected and unjustly mistreated by their country. It’s hard not to understand the deep anger many feel about the systemic and structural racism that has been a part of the country since its founding. It is hard not to see that silent protest in the name of justice is not only appropriate, but often necessary, to shift the conscience of a nation.
But Brees doesn’t see it.
By waving a flag over the importance of the protest movement by his fellow players and athletes, Brees is not only doing a disservice to his teammates, but to everyone who fights every day for justice in America , including in New Zealand. Orleans. In the same city where Brees makes millions of dollars, more than 59% of residents are African-American. The city has one of the highest rates of racial economic inequality among major metropolitan areas in the United States. Louisiana has one of the highest rates of incarceration of black men in the country. And New Orleans and Louisiana have, together, been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with African Americans disproportionately sickening and dying from the deadly virus.
These are all hallmarks of a system of historic racial injustice that demands protests not only in New Orleans, but across the country. These are the reasons why his comrades kneel – not to disrespect Brees’ grandfathers and the symbol under which they fought, but to protest the need for the nation behind this flag of live up to his ideals.
Rightfully so, other athletes were outraged by Bree’s comments, with players across the league openly questioning the quarterback’s views. Comments from San Francisco 49ers star Richard Sherman reflected the attitude of many:
At a time when every American should be asking what they can do to be a better ally and advocate for the issue of racial justice, now is not the time to double down on symbolism and nostalgia. Now is the time to recognize that America is much more than the fabric woven into a flag and an anthem sung before it; This is the time to realize that America must care about the freedom and equality of the people who live under this flag – whether they stand or kneel, whether they are black or white.
Drew Brees is an exceptional athlete. But when it comes to understanding the real issue of protesting racial injustice in America, it seems he has seriously missed the ball.
Let’s hope he and America get it back quickly.
