Drew Brees: Saints plan to kneel before national anthem, stand during it on Sunday

[fleur-de-lisa]

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2017/09/saints_protest_national_anthem.html#incart_2box

The New Orleans Saints have settled on a plan for how to handle the national anthem before Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Quarterback Drew Brees announced on Twitter that the entire team will kneel before the anthem and then stand during the rendition of it. The Dallas Cowboys used the same method before their game last Monday.

Brees, coach Sean Payton, running back Mark Ingram and defensive end Cameron Jordan all expressed a desire to find a way to show unity while also displaying a protest in some form with regards to the racial inequality in the U.S.

Brees' announcement on Friday morning from England followed much backlash back home with regards to the protest. Gov. John Bel Edwards said he'd like the team to find another way to protest, and the Republican Party of St. Tammany Parish called on Saints owner Tom Benson to require players to stand during the anthem. Other lawmakers said this week they wanted to pull state funding to the team, though Edwards said Louisiana couldn't take committed funds from the Saints because of objections to the protests.

Link to tweet

?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fsaints%2Findex.ssf%2F2017%2F09%2Fsaints_protest_national_anthem.html%23incart_2box

[Weekend Warrior]

1. I think this is a good transition.

It might get just a little more discussion of the issue itself. Not Trumps issue. The issue faces by POC in communities across the country. I think this is showing itself to be a great protest.

[Iggo]

2. Fuck respect when people are dying. (n/t)

[Girard442]

3. Uhhh... Help me out here. Is this a good or bad trend??

[RhodeIslandOne]

5. It's fine

The people who still whine will out themselves as racists for whom it has nothing to do with the anthem.

[AJT]

4. I think this may help in getting back to the real message.

Take the anthem out if it and 45 will have nothing to say. Seeing entire teams take a knee before the anthem will send the message of solidarity against the unjustified violence towards Africa americans without the distraction from our bozo in chief.

[EL34x4]

8. Many people don't want to be messaged. They just want to watch a football game.

[Iggo]

9. Ain't no football game goin' on during the anthem.

[EL34x4]

10. Maybe they don't want to be messaged then either? I dunno...

Some people just want watch a game and not be asked to think about all the bad shit going on in the world. Call them selfish or whatever but when you force something on people who don't want it, don't be surprised when you lose them.

[Iggo]

11. They get messaged the whole damn game. It's THAT message they don't want.

If I'm going to lose them because they're mad at me for telling them that police shouldn't be killing unarmed black people, then fuck them really.

[HAB911]

14. I find it annoying I have to pay for your stadium

but what can I do?

[HAB911]

16. LOL, me too! deMause is great

The Rays are trying to stick it our butts again, probably will too

[exboyfil]

6. Should be reinforced with

Cash to help solve the problem. Mandating cameras, independent investigation, state not local prosecution, compelling immediate after action reports without review of evidence or witnesses under threat of job loss, and funding studies of disparate impact in LEO encounters.

[nolabear]

7. Standing firm on principle but being out there about trying to compromise is wise.

I can understand the feeling it's not tough enough but it's strategically smart. If they keep at it, and say again and again "Okay, how about THIS?" while keeping protests pointedly aimed at America's mistreatment of black folks it'll become apparent really fast that, as many (inc. me) suspect, nothing is acceptable except shutting up and getting back where they "belong." Might as well get that right out there so we can see and oppose it.

[kentuck]

12. It's still divisive.

Nothing will satisfy these fascists.