Slammed for saying he would feel uncomfortable kneeling with his black NFL teammates during the National Anthem, 41-year-old New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees caught holy hell from his teammates and other black pro-athletes for saying he would not go down on one leg. “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the Unites States of America or our country,” Brees said June 3, causing the media hubbub. “Is everything right with our country right now? No, it is not. We still have a long way to go,” referring to the May 25 chokehold murder of 46-year-old George Floyd by 44-year-old Minneapolis white cop Derek Chauvin. Brees had no idea that what worked before Floyd’s murder no longer worked today. With the race riots, looting, arson and anarchy on American streets, the African American community is fed up with racism and police brutality
Brees made a big mistake stating an old view about the National Anthem raised when 32-year-old former San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled down in 2016 to protest police brutality, inequality and racism during the National Anthem. Kaepernick’s activism won plaudits from civil rights leaders but lost him his career after the 2016 season, never to work again in the NFL. During his first three seasons, Kaepernike was bombarded with a string of racially-charged murders of unarmed black men and teenagers during former President Barack Obama’s second term in office. Colin was motivated by the deaths of 17-year-old Travyon Martin’s Feb. 26, 2012, 44-year-old Eric Garner July 17, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown Aug. 19. 2014 and 37-year-od Alton Sterling July 5, 2016, all unarmed black men. Floyd’s egregious chokehold murder sent the country into race riots.
Over the last several years, Brees was well-aware of Kaepernick-driven protests involving the National Anthem. “But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together, we can all do better and that we are all part of the solution,” Brees said drawing fire from his black teammates and others around the country. “I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice,” Brees said, digging himself in deeper. Knowing the racially-charged situation with protests against police abuse and racial justice around the country, Brees could not have been more tone deaf. Brees had to go into full-on damage control mode, apologizing profusely for antagonizing his teammates and African Americans around the country.
Whatever happened with Floyd’s death, Minnesota authorities finally upgraded Chauvin’s charge to second-degree murder, plus the three officers at the scene were also charged with accessory to murder, carrying nearly the same penalty of 40 years. Yet the protests and some riots continue around the country. In that context, Brees issued a blanket apology for his June 2 remarks about respecting the flag. “I know there ‘s not much I can say that would make things better right now, but I just want you to see in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments I made yesterday,” Brees said. “I am sorry, and I will do better, and I will be part of the solution, and I am your ally,” Brees said, addressing his comments to his black teammates, especially Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, both disappointed with Brees. Kamara and Thomas asked Brees to show more sensitivity to the black community.
Before professional athletes hazard opinions to the media or on Twitter, they’d be well-advised to talk to their publicist before making remarks they regret. Everyone knows that Brees’s heart is in the right place just not his words at a time of maximum sensitivity. “One of my brothers made a public statements yesterday that I disagreed with. He apologized & I accept it because that’s what we are taught to do as Christians. Now back to the movement,” Tweeted Michael Thomas. Old arguments in today’s atmosphere about how people feel about the National Anthem aren’t relevant. Brees said nothing wrong other than not considering how his words hurt people reeling from the pain of watching someone brutally murdered while handcuffed with his face in the pavement in broad daylight. Floyd’s death became instantly symbolic of the long-history of racism and discrimination in America.
Chiming into the discussion was 35-year-old Los Angeles Lakers NBA superstar LeBron James who took the opportunity to respond to Fox News host Laura Ingraham who told LeBron to “shut up and dribble” Feb. 17, 2918 after he criticized Trump. “It’s always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball. Keep the political comments to yourselves . . . Shut up and dribble,” Ingrahm quipped in 2018. “We will definitely not shut up and dribble . . I mean too much to society, too much to the youth, to much to so many kids who feel like they don’t have a way out,” James responded back then. But Lebron re-purposed Ingraham’s “shut up and dribble” comment on his “Uninterrupted” Twitter handle. Brees learned a valuable lesson in sensitivity. LeBron was ahead of the curve when he told Trump to stay out of professional sports.
