New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees says he will continue to stand for the American flag but respects and supports any form of peaceful demonstration – including kneeling during the national anthem – by those protesting social injustice and systemic racism.“I’ll always stand for the flag because of what it means to me and to honor all those who have sacrificed, who have served and died for our country, and all those who have struggled to move this country forward,” Brees said Saturday in a conference call with media to discuss the onset of training camp.“I acknowledge and respect anyone who chooses to kneel or any other form of peaceful protest to bring attention to social injustice and system racism that so many have endured and continue to endure in our country,” Brees continued, adding that he “always will support and advocate for black and brown communities in the fight for social justice”. The 41-year-old Brees, who is the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing, completions and touchdowns, is entering his 20th NFL season and 15th with the New Orleans Saints. Brees became seen by many as a symbol of white privilege when he reiterated his long-held opposition to anyone kneeling during the national anthem, saying he would never approve of anyone disrespecting the flag. Those comments came as protests were proliferating across the country in response to a white Minneapolis police officer’s video-recorded killing of George Floyd, who is Black. Brees faced a scathing backlash from several current and former black teammates and other high profile athletes such as LeBron James. But the quarterback apologized soon afterward and said he realizes now that protesting by kneeling during the anthem, initiated by former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016, was “never about the flag”.
All data is taken from the source: https://www.theguardian.com/
Article Link: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/01/drew-brees-crushed-flag-comments-reaction
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