While Drew Brees stumbles, the saints go marching on

Drew Brees represents one of the core issues with America, one of the leading issues in the ongoing unrest, and why the charging of four murderous cops is not enough to stop this movement.

On Wednesday June 3^rd, after eight days of protests and looting in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey, and many more black lives lost to police brutality and social and racial injustice, Drew Brees helped illustrate how deep the issues run within white America and beyond.

Brees said: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”

In saying that he doubled down on his stance from when Colin Kaepernick first took a knee, that he 'wholeheartedly disagrees' with Kaepernick’s decision not to stand, reaffirming the belief that it is disrespectful to the military.

At the very least, Brees’ statement is willfully ignorant. Kaep did take a knee during the National Anthem, when it is understood you should stand and take pride in the nation which the flag represents. With no knowledge of the situation, you could be forgiven for initially seeing this as a sign of disrespect.

Unfortunately for Brees, and everyone in the world, there is no reason to not have knowledge of the situation. So, Brees either knows what the protests mean but is choosing to ignore it, or is refusing to find out.

When Kaepernick was first questioned about his kneeling he took the time, standing at his locker, to succinctly and thoroughly describe the meaning behind his protest. For 18 minutes.

He said: “It’s to bring awareness and make people realize what is really going on in this country. There a lot of things that are unjust, that people aren’t being held accountable for.

“That’s something that needs to change. This country stands for freedom, liberty and justice for all. And it’s not happening for all right now.”

That seems pretty clear to me.

“I know a lot of people’s initial reactions thought it was bashing the military, which it wasn’t. That wasn’t my intention at all,” Kaep said about the rhetoric of his kneeling being distracted. He continued: “Now that we have those things cleared up we can get to the root of what I was saying and really address those issues.”

He said that almost four years ago. Many admit now that he was right, but Drew Brees and many others are still choosing not to address those issues.

Full interview

If that wasn’t enough, former Green Beret and NFL long snapper Nate Boyer chimed in with an open letter. Following that letter, he and Kaepernick met to discuss the issue and Kaep’s protest. The result? Kneeling.

Boyer suggested kneeling was a way to accomplish Kaep’s goal of bringing attention to the issue, but at the same time paying the due respect to those who have served this country – to give Kaep the freedom to protest as he was.

Again, Brees is choosing to ignore that.

Brees’ statement also speaks to why these protests are ongoing and so passionate. For years, people of color (PoC) have been systemically oppressed. And throughout, PoC have been calling for help and equality. Those calls have fallen on far too many deaf ears.

“A riot is the voice of the unheard.” Formerly one of Martin Luther King’s lesser-known quotes has risen to prominence because it is still so relevant.

Years of oppression have given the unheard no other option than to take dramatic action, something Kaepernick was doing. And even then, they aren’t being heard.

In choosing to not listen, Brees is highlighting what every white person can do: Take the time to listen to what oppressed people are saying, listen to their issues and work with them to fix those issues.

Brees was rightfully met with tremendous backlash, including very strong words by current teammates. Malcolm Jenkins told him: “Shut the f**k up.”

Michael Thomas tweeted: “We don’t care if you don’t agree and whoever else how about that.”

New teammate Emmanuel Sanders tweeted: “Smh. Ignorant.”

Of course, Brees has since 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.

In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.
This is where I stand:

I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.
I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today.
I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.
I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement.
I will never know what it’s like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.
I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy.
I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening...and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen.
For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness."

That just won’t do. Brees had four years to educate himself on the issue. Instead he doubled down on his stance at a time when the need for Kaep’s protest is as evident as ever. Even with protests, rioting, continued police violence and an openly racist president, Brees couldn’t understand the intentions and symbolism of the protest. He couldn’t look past himself to see the true issue.

It’s also worth noting that not once in the apology does he address the kneeling. He doesn’t say he realizes it isn’t about disrespecting the flag or military. He doesn’t say he would support teammates who decided they’d take a knee. He purely mutters hollow and meaningless waffle to save his image - practically apologizing for the way others felt about it.

It. Won’t. Do.

That's not to say, however, progress hasn't been made. Following an independent autopsy and further outcry, Derek Chauvin’s charge has been upgraded to second-degree murder and the other three officers involved have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

That alone will not do. 

Breonna Taylor’s murderers remain free, as do countless other police officers who have used excessive and fatal force. Laws that disproportionately affect PoC remain unchanged. PoC still face systemic racism every single day.

The protesting we are currently seeing, the movement that is getting bigger in every country as each day passes, MUST continue. The action being taken in Minneapolis is a small step in the right direction, but there are bigger goals to achieve. And people like Drew Brees cannot, and will not, stop it.