When it comes to the recent controversy over players taking a knee during the national anthem, the President of the United States says NFL owners are “afraid of their players.”
Donald Trump appeared on FOX & Friends Thursday, discussing the protests and why exactly he made the “son of a b—-” comments in Alabama last week.
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“I have so many friends that are owners and they’re in a box,” Trump told FOX News. “I mean, I’ve spoken to a couple of them, and they say, ‘We are in a situation where we need to do something.’ I think they’re afraid of their players, if you want to know the truth, and I think it’s disgraceful.”
In addition to the frustration Trump alleges is mounting with NFL owners, he said they have “got to be tough” and “they’ve got to be smart.”
Social media pointed out that the comments the president said, which are highly suggestive of the nature of the NFL’s makeup with white owners and prominent black players and protesters, prove Trump is continuing to stroke the controversy with strong racial undertones.
Moreover, many mention such comments with racist stereotypes are why the protests started in the first place.
Trump says the white owners of the NFL are “afraid” of its black players.
That’s not “racist dog-whistling.”
It’s a “racist public rant.”
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) September 28, 2017
Trump just told Fox News that some NFL owners are “afraid of their players.” Dog whistles getting loud enough for humans to hear now…
— Alana HorowitzSatlin (@achorowitz) September 28, 2017
Trump saying NFL owners are afraid of players isn’t dog whistle. It’s a big ass bullhorn. You know what that bullhorn is blaring right?
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) September 28, 2017
Oh my, we have reached peak racial demagoguery. https://t.co/jlXmpDZbHd
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 28, 2017
Controversy has been surrounding the league for a week now as Trump suggested at an Alabama rally last Friday that players who kneel or sit for the national anthem stemming from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s stance on racial inequality being overlooked by society, should be fired.
“Get that son of a b—- off the field right now, out. He’s fired. He’s fired!” Trump said.
This past weekend, a growing number of current players and former players released statement condemning Trump’s remarks which infringe on what the ACLU states is an American’s right to a peaceful protest under the First Amendment.
“The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and at the core of the First Amendment.”
Photo credit: Twitter / @gaycivilrights
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