Let me begin this piece by saying
the obvious. Yes, Drew Brees has the right to his opinion. Yes, Drew Brees has
Freedom of Speech, and has a right to feel patriotic. Our Bill of Rights
sanctions this which is why, Freedom of Speech is embedded in the very First
Amendment. This also means that Colin Kaepernick and other black NFL players
are entitled to those same rights.
This past Wednesday, Future Hall of Fame &
New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees was interviewed on Yahoo Finance. When
questioned by Daniel Roberts about his role as a leader and how the NFL should
respond to future anthem protest, Brees stated, “Well, I will never agree with
anyone disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”
Brees further stated that when he hears the National Anthem and looks at the
flag, he envisions both of his grandfathers who fought in World War II, who
served in the Marines and in the Army, respectively.
For a QB who is best known for his
accuracy on the field, Drew Brees clearly missed the mark on this one off the
field. Both of my grandfathers like Drew Brees’ grandfathers, Anatole F.
Richard, Jr. & Arthur Duplessis, Jr., also fought in World War II. Both men
served in the Navy and the Army, which was segregated at the start of World War
II. Brees made it seem that his grandfathers were the only ones that fought for
this country. That is the point.
When men like my grandfathers, including
their brothers who also served, came home after serving their country and putting
their lives on the line, they were not celebrated. Their viewpoint of America
was vastly different from someone like Drew Brees’ grandfathers, who were celebrated
as champions with medals and awards when they came home. My grandfather, Arthur
Duplessis, did not receive any of those awards until he was in his early 80s.
The kneeling during the national
anthem, which was suggested to Kaepernick by a veteran of the Army, Nate Boyer,
had nothing to do with the military, the troops, or the flag of the United
States. It was about forcing America to live up to the true meaning of its
creed. As Dr. King quoted Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, in
his famous I Have a Dream speech, he stated: “We hold these truths to be
self-evident that all men are created equal.”
This should be where the anger of
our government officials and others, including Dan Fagan of The Baton Rouge Advocate,
complaining about the protests going on around the country should be directed
at. Black Americans in this country have not truly been treated as American
citizens. If I dared to say that my people have been treated as “second class
citizens” that would not even due the whole thing justice. We are treated as legal
aliens.
Drew Brees did apologize, twice I
may add, after facing much criticism from his teammates such as Michael Thomas,
Malcolm Jenkins, and Emmanuel Sanders. Across the sports world also, LeBron
James, Aaron Rodgers, and Tyrann Mathieu even criticized Brees’ remarks. His
wife Brittany also offered an apology on Instagram, stating “WE ARE THE
PROBLEM.”
Brees is a leader in the New
Orleans community. He has given millions of dollars to different foundations
across the city, worked with countless charities, and brought the city its
first Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl Forty-Four. All of this being done in a predominately,
African American city. That is why his comments cut deep for so many here.
In honesty, I did not feel Drew Brees
should have apologized for his opinion. I welcome it for the open dialogue that
it creates. I also find it enlightening because it is a wake-up call that all
who smile in our face are not our allies. We still have a far way to go before
we can call ourselves a post-racial society. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery,
George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor serve as a testament to that.
-
Gavin M. Richard, Esq., June 6, 2020
