How We Got Here: Drew Brees

"I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country. Let me just tell you what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played, and when I look at the flag of the United States: I envision my two grandfathers, who fought for this country during World War II – one in the Army and one in the Marine Corps, both risking their lives to protect our country and to try to make our country and this world a better place.
"So every time I stand with my hand over my heart, looking at that flag and singing the national anthem, that's what I think about. And in many cases, it brings me to tears, thinking about all that has been sacrificed ... Is everything right with our country right now? No, it's not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together. We can all do better and we are all part of the solution."

"I know there's not much that I can say that would make things any better right now, but I just want you to see in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments that I made yesterday. I know that it hurt many people."

"I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice," Brees said. "I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis."

"I believe we should all stand for the national anthem and respect our country and all those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms. That includes all those who marched for women's suffrage in the 1920s and all those who marched in the civil rights movements and continue to march for racial equality. All of us ... EVERYONE ... represent that flag. Same way I respect all the citizens of our country ... no matter their race, color, religion.
"And I would ask anyone who has a problem with what I said to look at the way I live my life. Do I come across as someone who is not doing my absolute best to make this world a better place, to bring justice and equality to others, and hope & opportunity to those who don't have it? That's what I meant by actions speak louder than words. ... My ACTIONS speak for themselves."
On Thursday morning, Brees posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, acknowledging he "made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country."

"Drew Brees said something that I found insulting, to be quite honest with you. He said my grandfathers fought in World War II – I did not know two men won World War II ... Did he know that black men fought alongside his grandfather in World War II, although in segregated military? That they were fighting in a foreign land for a freedom that when they came home, they did not enjoy like Drew Brees' grandfathers did? Did Drew know that black men, that once they came home and were caught  in their military uniforms a lot of times were beaten, jailed, and even killed?"

"When it comes to talking black and white, there is always this slippery slope of grey area in between. Drew Brees for me falls into the greyest of the grey area. Do I believe that at heart Drew Brees is a racist? No, I don't. I don't know that for a fact but I don't. Do I think he has a racial blindspot? Yes, I do. And I've always thought that. You have to look at where he came from and how he was raised in Austin, Texas ... Father a prominent trial attorney, mother also an attorney ... but in the end Drew blindly loves God and country. It's all about the flag."

"Here is what I think everybody is missing – this is a victory for communication. I actually don't mind that this happened ... The reality is that if you didn't have folks like that, out there revealing what they truly, truly feel, then there would still be a plethora of people outside of the black community all over the place asking, 'What are y'all upset about? What's the problem?' You don't get to do that now because just a semblance of what is taking place out there was revealed by Drew Brees yesterday."

"Black people have been crying for far longer than George Floyd's death and it's gone dramatically unheard. When you see Drew Brees come out and say, 'I missed the point but now I understand my mistake' ... I think that's the model of leadership and that's what needs to be modeled throughout America."