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Just two days after Drew Brees infuriated the masses when he said he would never support kneeling during the national anthem at football games, the NFL quarterback is offering a mea culpa and schooling President Donald Trump on the #TakeaKnee movement.
The New Orleans Saints superstar issued an apology on Thursday after his Wednesday remarks drew major backlash from the Twittersphere and prompted prominent figures like LeBron James to speak out. Simultaneously, Brees is encouraging POTUS to listen to what protesters are saying.
The QB did an about-face and apologized for the “insensitive” comments.
“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,” Brees said. “This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.”
READ MORE: Saints’ Drew Brees blasted after saying he’ll never agree to anthem protests
When the commander in chief caught wind of the mea culpa, he took to Twitter to chastise the Saints star for the apology. Trump said Brees should have stood his ground “honoring our magnificent American flag” adding that people can protest, “but not our Great America Flag – NO KNEELING!”
…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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
Brees doubled down on his newfound wokeness when he responded to Trump’s comments on Friday evening in a post titled “To President Trump.”
“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,” Brees wrote on Instagram. “We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.
“We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week,” he continued. “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?
“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.”
The back and forth between the president and quarterback stems from NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick’s decision to take a stance against police misconduct and social justice in a peaceful way that proved controversial. In his last season as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem at every 49ers game in the 2016 season.
Some athletes, from amateur to professional leagues, joined Kaepernick in support, while others denounced his actions. The protest kneel came in the wake of the police shootings of two Black men, Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina.
READ MORE: Ex- NFL exec admits Colin Kaepernick’s career ended because of activism
The most recent police killing of a Black man, George Floyd, in particular, has sparked nationwide protests and revived conversations about Kaepernick’s national anthem protests. Kaepernick’s actions drew the ire of both the NFL and Trump, who urged NFL owners to kick protesting players off the team.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, say, “Get that son of a b—- off the field right now. Out, you’re fired!’” Trump said in referring to Kaepernick’s actions without calling him by name.
Brees, however, is not the only one grabbing headlines for finally accepting the underlying purpose of the anthem protests. The NFL, who for years denounced the apparent war Kaepernick was raging, has also reversed course.
Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday said “we were wrong for not listening to players” and that the league stands with its African-American players.
“We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” he said in the statement. “We, the National Football League, believe Black lives matter. I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country.”
We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020
Meanwhile, Kaepernick is still without a job in the NFL, despite being years ahead of the curve.
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