LeBron James To Drew Brees: 'You Literally Still Don’t Understand Why Kap Was Kneeling On One Knee??'
LeBron James was taken aback after New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he would never support NFL players kneeling during the national anthem as a form of peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequality.
“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country," Brees told Yahoo Finance on Wednesday. He added that whenever he hears the anthem, he envisions his two grandfathers who fought for the United States during World War II and is often moved to tears thinking of their sacrifice.
James said that Brees is entirely misunderstanding the purpose of kneeling.
"WOW MAN!!" James tweeted Wednesday. "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 men who fought as well for this country. I asked him question about it and thank him all the time for his commitement [sic]. He never found Kap peaceful protest offensive because he and I both know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong! God bless you."
After George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man, was killed last Monday following a white police officer kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes, James posted a photo of that incident next to a photo of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick peacefully kneeling in protest of police brutality.
"Do you understand NOW!!??!!??" James wrote last Tuesday. "Or is it still blurred to you?? 🤦🏾♂️ #StayWoke👁"
Brees' stance has remained consistent. In 2016, he was vocal about supporting the reason why Kaepernick knelt, but he said he was against his method of protest.
Earlier Wednesday morning, amid a week of nationwide protests following Floyd's death, Brees posted a message to Instagram encouraging adults to teach children about racial equality.
"If you are reading this, you are probably one of those whose voice and influence is very powerful in the life of a young person," Brees wrote. "So when you ask what difference you can make in this world… It’s exactly that. Raise, teach, but most importantly model to young people what it is to love all and respect all.
"There is a saying in every locker room I have been in… Don’t just talk about it, be about it. Acknowledge the problem, and accept the fact that we all have a responsibility to make it better. “Your actions speak so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
