Drew Brees answered President Donald Trump in a Friday night post on social media. He also answered the question of whether his feelings about kneeling during the national anthem have changed.
The president said the Saints quarterback was right to criticize kneeling during the national anthem and wrong to apologize for his statement.
Brees twice apologized for likening kneeling during the national anthem to disrespecting America.
Brees now says he regrets his comments, which “turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.”
Brees addressed his post to President Trump, tagging him in the tweet that linked to his Instagram post.
“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. “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. 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 and 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.”
Brees had no choice but to respond after Trump’s tweet Friday. He did and in a way that likely will elicit yet another response from the White House.
But he fulfilled his promise to his teammates and other NFL players to listen and to become part of the solution.