When New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said that he viewed NFL players taking a knee in protest during the upcoming football season as disrespectful to the flag and something he “will never agree with”, I thought “he will be destroyed”. I posted as much on my FB wall. The protests have amassed an impressive and broad institutional support and one man standing alone doesn’t have a chance. Almost immediately, some of his black teammates and others came forward to say that Brees’ comments were hurtful. That taking the knee is not a sign of disrespect towards the flag or those who served in the military. I take them at their words. I like the idea of living in a country where people are allowed to have differing views on the same subject or action.
Unfortunately, America is currently undergoing a Maoist Cultural Revolution and only ONE view is allowed. All must profess it and pledge their lives to uphold. Within 24 hours, Brees recanted and issued an apology:
“I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused,” he said in an Instagram post.”
My reaction was one of understanding. I didn’t blame him for backing down. It was either that or his livelihood destroyed. Just last April it was announced that he “was signing with NBC Sports over ESPN, a contract that will begin post-retirement setting him up for telecasts far after his athletic career.”
But Brees was not done apologizing. The next day he issued an additional apology calling on President Trump to:
“… stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform.”
If anyone needs to immediately stop talking about the flag, the ongoing protests, it is you Mr. Brees. One apology should have been enough and if it wasn’t, then maybe you need to realize not amount of apologizing will do.
