Twitter has been afire today with the controversy about Stephen Curry going to the White House and reactions to President Trump’s speech in Alabama.
During President Trump’s speech at a rally for Luther Strange (R-AL), he addressed the growing trend among NFL players to kneel disrespectfully during the national anthem. Trump asked, ““Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say ‘get that son of a b***h off the field right now – he’s fired’?”.
Most people hearing or reading this comment recognize that the president is referring to the disrespectful kneeling “protest” that involves football (and other sports) players deliberately taking a knee during the national anthem.
The Warriors’ Stephen Curry hesitated when asked about whether he would attend the White House celebration, and Trump responded by rescinding the invitation to Curry.
The left, as always, hears RAAACISM not patriotism in the president’s comments. They are subsequently completely unhinged in their response to their own fevered and deliberate misinterpretation of Trump’s comments.
Then-49er Colin Kaepernick who started this disturbing trend in response to the short-lived Black Lives Matter explained his rationale last year to NFL Media.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
The resulting controversy was explosive, and Kaepernick has had trouble finding a new team since leaving the 49ers.
Since then, more and more players have started kneeling for the anthem, including at least one white player.
The president’s comments, reflective of a lot of Americans’ thoughts on the issue, were received as racist apparently because the majority of NFL players who take a knee during the anthem are black or brown. Therefore, according to leftist logic, any criticism of these players’ actions is not about the players’ actions at all; it has to be—can only be—about their race.
The NFL issued the following statement:
Just so we are all clear: it is not disrespectful or divisive to take a knee during the national anthem, but it is disrespectful and divisive to speak out against it.
Ah yes, because Trump never attacks white people. Or something.
Washington Redskins’ linebacker Zach Brown makes a potentially arguable point, that football has nothing to do with the President.
For the point to stand, however, it has to work both ways. Football is no place for political protests, either.
When the NFL (or any sports franchise) and its players invite, participate in, and otherwise politicize the sport, it is immediately bigger than football, basketball, etc. Deliberately disrespecting the American flag and national anthem has everything to do with every American, including the president.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY