As the public calls for peaceful protests, many have turned to Colin Kaepernick’s attempt of bringing awareness to police brutality and social injustice. But during an interview with Yahoo on Wednesday, Saints quarterback Drew Brees was asked about players taking a knee and spun it to the answer of, “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag.”
Hugh Douglas, former NFL DE and current radio host on Atlanta’s 92.9 The Game, offered an emotional response Thursday morning, explaining that while he knows Brees has done a lot for the city of New Orleans, by not acknowledging racial issues, it depicts an acceptance of it.
“Part of the problem is people don’t understand,” Douglas said of Kaepernick’s protest. “And when they don’t understand and they listen to one thing, they get offended. Instead of trying to figure out what’s going on, they get defensive.”
It’s not about offending anyone or being disrespectful Douglas explained of the NFL players who took a knee. “We’re hurting. Just like you want your kids to grow up and go to good schools, we want the same things for our children,” Douglas added before needing to take a break to compose his emotions.
The full segment is below. Douglas’s comments begin at the 6:40 mark before he breaks down in tears. They resume at the 10:36.
“It’s not about the flag, it’s about being treated equal,” he said as tears began pouring out. “It’s about making sure that when my son drives through the city, he’s not going to get killed because he doesn’t do what someone asks him to do.”
Douglas added that he tells his son to call him when he gets pulled over, and just because he’s a black man who made over a million dollars in the NFL, he still feels the same pain and has the same fears.
It’s been nearly four years since Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem as a way of bringing awareness to social injustice and police brutality. Through listening, many of us have learned, and understand the protest was never about the military or the flag, but four years later that point still needs to be reiterated.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
Awesome to hear someone else’s heart without filter. I hope more hear this and are moved as I was.
Thank you Hugh!! I do relate.