In case you missed it, the quarterbacks of the Lions and the Texans (among others) both knelt during the singing of the national anthem yesterday.
Twitter exploded both in both favor and opposition to this demonstration of free speech and support for social justice.
Trump tweeted “No thanks!”
A few interesting things about the Twitter response:
- It’s odd that there was so much opposition to this kneeling since so many of those opposed to this form of protest – Trump included – already stated many times that they would not be watching football anymore because of the protests.
- There seems to be a clear correlation between a person’s ability to spell, capitalize, and punctuate correctly and their opposition to kneeling during the national anthem.
- There seems to be a clear correlation between a player’s decision to kneel during the national anthem and a Twitter user’s willingness to threaten bodily harm and wish injury upon a kneeling player.
- I am fairly confident that every single one of those kneeling players could kick the ass of every single Twitter user who threatened them harm.
- There was far more outrage on Twitter over Matthew Stafford’s decision to kneel as opposed to Deshawn Watson. It would appear that some white people don’t like it when other white people support black people. I wonder what all those angry white people have in common?
For me, I’m always pleased when people like Donald Trump and his horde of small-minded, racist minions are forced to contend with the fact that no amount of bluster or threats will stop protest and progress. The world is changing, no matter how hard they try to hold it back.
As Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Indeed.
Three years ago Trump sent his racist Vice President, Mike Pence, to an NFL game in Indianapolis for the sole purpose of having Pence storm off when San Fransisco players knelt in protest during the national anthem.
Trump hoped that this taxpayer-funded stunt would draw positive attention to his opposition of kneeling during the national anthem.
Three years later, Trump is leaving office and players are still kneeling. This time members of both teams are kneeling, including both quarterbacks, during the nationally televised Thanksgiving Day broadcast.
Trump loses. Again.
