Brad Paisley once sang “Wherever we were goin’, well we’re here”. Indeed we are. Now we have to figure out what the heck to do next.
Where do you stand on standing? Do you stand? Sadly, this is where we are right now in America. After New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made comments regarding our flag this week, the debate over what to do at sporting events when our national anthem plays is back. This time, those who think taking a knee is appropriate are using a national tragedy to force-feed their anti-flag opinion.
During an interview, Brees was asked about protesting during our national anthem at NFL games. Brees said he would “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag.” Seems like a pretty pedestrian, patriotic American response. But, not in this day and age of cancel culture.
Brees was bullied and attacked via social media by teammates, other football players, and athletes from other sports including far-left activist LeBron James. Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins went full throttle at his teammate saying “It’s unfortunate, because I considered you a friend, I looked up to you as somebody I had a great deal of respect for, but sometimes you should shut the f**k up.” This is his response to Brees’ belief that Americans should honor our flag.
“Even though we’re teammates, I can’t let this slide,” Jenkins added. Several other Saints piled on as well, some with direct barbs at Brees, while others simply stopped following the QB on Twitter.
As he often does, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James jumped into the fray. “WOW MAN!! ����♂️. Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of ���� and our soldiers(men and women) who keep our land free. My father-in-law was one of those,” James tweeted.
This is the same LeBron James who called President Trump a ‘bum’. The same LeBron James who remains silent on Hong Kong criminalizing disrespect for the Chinese national anthem. Perhaps his business dealings with the Chinese government have something to do with that.
As expected, Brees gave in and apologized mere hours after James’ tweet. Think about this. An American Super Bowl-winning quarterback was pressured to apologize for his thinking that Americans should stand and respect our flag, troops, veterans, and country when the national anthem is played. This is radical thought?
Of course Brees’ apology wasn’t enough. It never is with the radical left. They pressure you into an apology and then don’t forgive you anyway. You may as well man up, and stay with your actual opinion.
FS1 commentator and former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe said Brees should probably retire, calling his apology ‘meaningless’.
Please let that sink in. One of the best quarterbacks in the game should retire because he thinks Americans should stand for the national anthem. Think about that.
So what are we looking at moving forward when it comes to professional sports? LeBron and friends have spoken. Will players all kneel now? Are we heading toward mass protest/kneeling before every, single sports event? And we MUST say it’s wonderful, or else? This is where we are? Before every game, let’s make a mockery of the American flag? That’s garbage.
All of this comes on the heels of the heinous death of George Floyd. Virtually every American is on the same page. We want justice for Mr. Floyd and we want the officers who let him die, to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Genuine, heartfelt protesting for Floyd and other black Americans should be supported. For some reason, many do not believe you can support those protests but at the same time be against rioting, looting, and yes, disrespecting our beautiful flag.
Mighty social leader LeBron James himself says Colin Kaepernick and others kneeling has ‘nothing to do’ with the flag. Other athletes who blasted Brees made similar comments. AGREED! Protesting police brutality has nothing to do with the flag of the United States. So why must the kneeling happen during those precious two-plus minutes when we honor our flag, troops, veterans, and exceptional country?
Protesting police brutality can’t take place in front of, oh I don’t know, a police station? How about on social media? During the coin toss? At halftime? After the game? In today’s world, athletes can protest anywhere and it would be covered and shown to the masses through social media. The message can get out no matter where it is done. Why drag our flag into it?
If the kneeling has NOTHING to do with our flag or our military, then why is it that the only time we see that form of protest is during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner before ball games? It is not a police flag people are honoring. It is the stars and stripes. The red, white, and blue. The flag that represents all Americans of every color, race, religion, gender, and orientation.
If your local government was closing a popular park, you wouldn’t protest at your friend’s mother’s funeral or in the middle of your pastor’s Sunday sermon. You would protest at the park or at city hall. If you were served bad food at a restaurant, you would complain to the restaurant, not to the gas station down the street. If your child has an unfit teacher, you go to the principal or the Board of Ed., not to the phone company. Same deal, folks. You want to protest awful policing? You want to protest racism? You want to honor George Floyd? Just do it. And leave our flag out of it. The flag has nothing to do with the kneeling. Just ask LeBron and company.
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Follow Kevin Scholla on Twitter @kevinscholla