Racist President at It Again: Trump Claims Kneeling NFL Players 'Unable to Define' What They're Protesting
"NFL players have continuously defined what they're protesting: white supremacy, police brutality, and racial injustice. You're not listening."
Despite the fact that NFL players have been extremely clear that their pre-game National Anthem demonstrations--which have included kneeling, locked arms, and raised fists--are aimed at calling attention to America's appalling levels of systemic racism and police brutality, President Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets on Friday accusing the athletes of being "unable to define" what they're protesting and warned that they will be "suspended without pay" if they continue to kneel.
"The NFL players are at it again--taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem," Trump wrote. "Find another way to protest."
\u201cThe NFL players are at it again - taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their \u201coutrage\u201d at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love......\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1533903535
\u201c.....Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest. Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1533904360
Trump's latest NFL Twitter tirade came after several players from the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles kneeled or raised their fists ahead of their teams' Thursday night preseason match-ups.
\u201c#Dolphins wide receivers @KSTiLLS and @iThinkIsee12 kneeling during the national anthem tonight.\u201d— WSVN 7 Sports (@WSVN 7 Sports) 1533862503
In a tweet ahead of Thursday's game, Malcolm Jenkins--an Eagles player who raised his fist during the anthem--highlighted the disproportionate effect mass incarceration has on minorities, writing, "Before we enjoy this game let's take some time to ponder that more than 60 percent of the prison population are people of color."
\u201cBefore we enjoy this game lets take some time to ponder that more than 60% of the prison population are people of color. The NFL is made up of 70% African Americans. What you witness on the field does not represent the reality of everyday\nAmerica. We are the anomalies...\u201d— Malcolm Jenkins (@Malcolm Jenkins) 1533850056
Further undermining Trump's boldfaced lie that NFL players don't know what they're protesting against, numerous players have worn warm-up shirts that--like Jenkins'--highlighted such issues as widespread voter disenfranchisement and lack of funding for education.
"1.68 million formerly incarcerated citizens do not have the right to vote in the state of Florida," read a shirt worn by one Eagles player before Thursday night's game.
Last week, New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis posted a photo of his #SchoolsNotPrisons shirt on Twitter:
\u201cShirt speaks for itself! #SchoolsNotPrisons\u201d— DemarioDavis.eth (@DemarioDavis.eth) 1533142514
"NFL players have continuously defined what they're protesting: white supremacy, police brutality, and racial injustice," the ACLU wrote in response to Trump's tweet. "You're not listening."
In a tweet following Thursday's preseason games, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick--who started the kneeling protests in 2016 to call attention to police brutality and other forms of systemic oppression--applauded the players who knelt during the National Anthem, urging them to "stay strong."
\u201cMy brother @kstills continued his protest of systemic oppression tonight by taking a knee. Albert Wilson @iThinkIsee12 joined him in protest. Stay strong brothers!\u270a\ud83c\udffe\n\ud83d\udcf8 @footcandles\n#imwithkap #imwithereid #takeaknee\u201d— Colin Kaepernick (@Colin Kaepernick) 1533863971
