Twitter Users Point Out Hypocrisy Of Trump’s ‘No Kneeling’ Tweets About Protesting
Many people criticized New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees this week for not appreciating why fellow NFL players like Colin Kaepernick have chosen to kneel during the national anthem.
Brees, who told Yahoo that he felt kneeling was “disrespectful” to the military, later apologized for his “insensitivity” after his Black teammates and other sports figures explained the kneeling was in protest of systemic racism. He said he “will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.”
Kaepernick only started kneeling after conferring with former Green Beret Nate Boyer on the most respectful way to protest.
President Donald Trump said Friday that Brees should not have apologized. He also criticized kneeling during the national anthem, an act he misrepresented as being a protest of the American flag.
I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
...We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag - NO KNEELING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
As might be expected, many Twitter users had strong opinions about Trump’s comments.
the racism will continue until morale improves https://t.co/Lls6608PX3
— Mark Gongloff, Antifa Fight Instructor (@markgongloff) June 5, 2020
*Kaep peacefully protests*: come on, RESPECT THE FLAG! You hate America!
*rioting starts*: if only these rioters peacefully protested we'd support them! https://t.co/L5fSIAvHLE— Secular Talk (@KyleKulinski) June 5, 2020
remember this when the line is that protesters MUST protest peacefully. now it's that they can only protest certain things. https://t.co/MvZvrFUmzq
— Sam Stein (@samstein) June 5, 2020
You’re the greatest embarrassment to our flag! pic.twitter.com/EUvcDageIy
— Republicans for Joe Biden (@RepsForBiden) June 5, 2020
Free speech is not just supporting free speech of your own values, it's also the same right of those who disagree with you, and you are the President of the United States, you are supposed to be uniting all Americans, not just defend your base. https://t.co/ckzsR5jB4M
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) June 5, 2020
You didn't say the whole thing, it's:
NO KNEELING ON NECKS! https://t.co/svtQUsh998— Gregg Housh (@GreggHoush) June 5, 2020
Don't fall for the racial play-action here. The conversation isn't about the flag and it was never about the flag. https://t.co/RUuRE5zsdR
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) June 5, 2020
Stuff like this is so unreal. Brees is likely a shitty guy but among the range of shitty people his apology at least seemed like someone who would like to better himself. And then the PRESIDENT comes and criticizes him for his attempt at tolerance https://t.co/lsaU9g5Dht
— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) June 5, 2020
Pick a side, NFL....your players or this dipshit. Please get it right this time. https://t.co/Kz8SAODJjd
— Melissa Jacobs (@thefootballgirl) June 5, 2020
Marcus Vanderberg of Yahoo Sports pointed out Friday afternoon that responding to Trump’s tweets would give Brees the chance to show he really meant what he said in his apology.
If you want to back up your words from yesterday @drewbrees, here’s your chance. https://t.co/RaKor5Sl0m
— Marcus Vanderberg (@marcowill) June 5, 2020
On Friday night, Brees did address Trump via Instagram and pointedly told the president that “this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been.
He continued: “We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.”
Brees added:
“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 & 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.”
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