For Drew Brees, kneeling during the national anthem still means 'disrespecting the flag' [View all]

[Auggie]

When Colin Kaepernick and NFL players took a knee during the national anthem to raise awareness of police brutality and social justice, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had his reasons for choosing to remain standing.

With protests flaring across the United States after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died last week when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, Brees says he hasn't changed his mind. He'll continue to stand, he said in a Yahoo Finance On the Move video.

"I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country," Brees told Daniel Roberts. "Let me just tell 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," Brees continued. "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, that brings me to tears, thinking about all that has been sacrificed."

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/For-Drew-Brees-kneeling-during-the-national-15314869.php

Drew respects the flag, I respect free speech. Kneel away, folks ...