Dear Drew Brees: It's ok to be both

There is nothing wrong with respecting the American flag. It's ok to honor the men and women who have served under it to protect what liberty we have left. It's ok to stand when our national anthem is played and the flag is presented. The feelings of gratitude and pride that wells up in you upon hearing "oh say can you see" is normal, as is the frog in your throat and the mist in your eyes. You are American and that is nothing to be ashamed of, nor should you have to apologize for it to anyone.

There is also nothing wrong for someone else to not share your feelings of pride, patriotism and gratitude. For whatever reasons they have, some people are not choked up by the sight of Old Glory or appreciative of the sacrifices made while serving under it. That's ok, too. Other Americans are under no obligation to share your heart or share your mind. So if they don't want to stand, place a hand over their heart and sing with you, they are just being American, too.

It is also ok to speak up and say that you disagree with those who do not share your pride. Reasonable men and women can disagree on such matters without being unreasonable. It would not be reasonable for you to demand that others show the same respect as you do. It is just as unreasonable for those other Americans to demand that you apologize for disagreeing with them.

It is ok to be a proud American and it is ok to disagree with those who are not. It is ok to support your fellow Americans' right to feel the way they do and it's ok that you're ok with them expressing their own thoughts and feelings on the flag, the national anthem and what they stand for.

People may say to you, "well, you're either for the protesters, or you're against them." What if you're neither? What if you disagree with their expression but agree that expression is rightful regardless of your agreement? What if you're actually a little of both? What if you simply refuse to deal in such binary absolutes?

Most people don't like where such absolutes end up. Most people believe that if there's no such animal as objective truth then they can believe whatever they want to believe and do whatever they want. It's only when subjective people start expecting others to abandon principle and adhere to their own lack of principles that problems begin. So it's best for us all to respect each other even when we disagree on principle.

It's ok to disagree. It's ok to respect and support anyway. It's ok to be both, and you shouldn't apologize.