Olympian John Carlos — who raised his fist while wearing a black glove during the 1968 Olympics — is not a fan of President Donald Trump. He made his opinions clear during a Friday appearance on TMZ Live, which was the 52nd anniversary of his moment on the podium. He criticized the president and asked voters to get out and take part in the election process.
“You’ve created nothing but divide and dissent and anger and hatred toward the American citizen,” Carlos said about Trump. “I would just applaud anyone and everyone who has the right to vote to get out and vote. Knock on your neighbor’s door, and if they don’t have a ride, take them to go vote. … Get the vote in because it’s the most critical time in world history.”
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Carlos’ demonstration took place during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He competed in the 200-meter race, finishing in third place behind Tommie Smith and Australian Peter Norman. As they stood on the podium, Smith and Carlos raised their fists while Norman stood by in solidarity. All three athletes also wore human-rights badges on their jackets.
Following the demonstration, Carlos and Smith clarified their decision to raise their fists. They said that the gesture was not necessarily the sign of “Black Power.” Instead, they said that they were using the first to highlight human-rights issues.
Carlos appeared on TMZ Live while turning heads with a series of facemasks. The designs feature the American flag, his raised fist and the words “We Are One.” Carlos told the outlet that the reason for releasing the masks was to keep people safe while also delivering a message about the history of the United States.
“We are defining the American flag. We are stating that ‘Hey we didn’t ask to come to America. We were brought here against our will. We have significant history in America in terms of building this nation and we’re here to let you know that we are not leaving America. We will be here through America’s end.”
The upcoming Presidential Election has created arguments and sparked debates about which candidate is the best for the future of the country. Some people support Trump, while others criticize him. Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee is among the latter. The 58-year-old, who was born in Greece, recently said that he would leave the country if Trump wins the election in November.
“Dude, I swear to God if that happens, then I’m coming over to visit the U.K. I’m out of here,” Lee said to The Big Issues. I’ll go back to my motherland, go back to go to Greece and get a house on one of the islands.”
