Drew Brees tells Trump 'it's never been about the flag', gets slammed for changing opinion 'so quickly'
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees sparked a controversy when he said in a recent interview, "I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country." His comments drew a lot of flak initially and then he sought apology in a video. "I know that it hurt many people, especially friends, teammates, former teammates, loved ones, people that I care and respect deeply. That was never my intention," he said and added, "I am sorry. And I will do better. And I will be part of the solution. And I am your ally. And I know no words will do that justice."
US President Donald Trump ushered his comments on the incident in a Twitter post and wrote, "I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high..." and added, "...We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag - NO KNEELING!"
Brees then responded to Trump on social media with a clarification. "To @realdonaldtrump Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities," the Instagram post said.
It further read, "We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must 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. We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when?" Brees concluded, "We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us."
Fans were quick to lend support to the NFL player. "Welcome to 2020, where it’s controversial and divisive to say you should stand with your hand over your heart for the national anthem," one tweet read and another said, "The flag is just fabric and worthless if Americans don't live up to the ideals it represents. White racists must stop using the flag as a cover for their racism." Another asked, "Thank you Drew Brees for being a man who isn’t afraid to admit he was wrong. You are awesome! You are a role model."
Some, however, slammed him for the hypocrisy. "Wow, such a difference of your own opinion so quickly. I wonder why... What about the people burning the same flag you defended? You still about that?" one said and another wrote, "Stand by your opinion. It’s YOUR opinion! What’s more important? How you remember your family or people telling you how to think?" Several Twitter users posted a flurry of tweets slamming Brees on the micro-blogging platform. "Unbelievable... disappointed, your statement had nothing to do with race, they made it about race and if you’re in our country you should not disrespect. You were asked a question and you answered it respectfully and honestly about the flag. It was about the flag, not race! Kneeling during the anthem and raising of the flag shouldn’t be a time to bring up these issues anyway. It has been twisted! Terrible times," one said.
One emotional fan said, "Drew, my 5-month-old daughter who was your biggest fan is still distraught over your comments. She told me, 'I don't think Drew is sincere in his apology and I can no longer wear his uniform every Sunday.' I really hope you're happy. Do better." Another posted, "Standing during the national anthem is to show respect to our country and all the soldiers who fought and who died so we may be free. That’s pretty cut and dry. Imagine how all those veterans and their families feel about people disrespecting their sacrifice."