Someone asked me the other day if there was a single thing I wished that could defuse our racial problems.

My answer was simple.

I wished that all of us could be color blind.

With that in mind, I want to talk with you about 3 hot topics in sports and life:

1. The murder of unarmed George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer who should never have been given a job on the force.

2. Grant Napear, the Sacramento Kings announcer, fired for what seemed a racist comment.

3. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees who may have stuck his foot in his mouth standing up for the national anthem.

Justice on trial

George Floyd was the victim of police officer Derek Chauvin who should have been weeded out long ago.

Lets hope our justice system deals as harshly with him and his colleagues who stood by and did nothing as they did with Mr. Floyd.

But the violence, rioting and looting of many businesses in Minneapolis and elsewhere – many of them African-American owned – should not be condoned by the media, politicians and civil activists as acts simply of anger and frustration.

These are criminal acts, most committed by radicals on the left and right, investigators are finding.

Did he do it to himself?

Now about Napear, fired by Kings’ basketball after 32 years. Ex-player DeMarcus Cousins and others like Chris Webber have questioned in the past Napear’s questionable comments.

Cousins’ tweeted a question about the Black Lives Matter movement. Like Hillary Clinton and others, Napear may have been ignorant that some people consider “All Lives Matter” an insulting response.

When he responded that way, it was enough to get him in trouble. His past also kept the team from giving him the benefit of the doubt.

An awkward apology

Now about Drew Brees.

The quarterback made the mistake of speaking from his heart about fellow players who took a knee during the playing of the national anthem in protest against police violence.

Brees is one of the most successful quarterbacks in pro football. He’s earned more than $244 million in his career. He works daily with players of all colors, many of them multi-millionaires.

That’s far from what most Americans of all races earn.

With our history of racial relations – some good, some bad – and the opportunities many African-Americans feel they have been denied, Brees came across to them as tone deaf.

Despite his 1st Amendment right to say how he feels, Brees has apologized – whether you think he should have or not.

I’m interested in your opinion. Email me at Chroniclesports@yahoo.com .