Trump and Sports Protests

[jerrym]

Colin Kaepernick's taking a knee last year in snowballing into protests against Trump and his comments on athletes who protest his policies and comments. On Friday Trump said to his followers at a rally "Get that son of a b____ off the field. He's fired! He's fired!". Trump called for NFL owners to fire players who take a knee during the national anthem. His tweet withdrawing an invitation to Stephen Curry of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors because Curry said he wouldn't go to the White House as a protest against Trump. NFL owners, seven of whom gave Trump's election campaign at least $1,000,000, now have a problem beyond denying Kaepernick the opportunity to play in the NFL, because 70% of NFL players are African American.
In the NBA, which has an even higher percentage of African Americans, LeBron James has called Trump a "bum" in response to Trump's comments about Curry.

Responding to Trump's attacks on football players who protested during the national anthem, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Saturday Trump's statements revealed "unfortunate lack of respect" for the NFL and its players.

Goodell's statement was released a day after Trump suggested any protesting football player was a "son of a bitch" and should lose his job.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now ... He is fired'," Trump said on Friday at a rally for Alabama Senate Republican candidate Luther Strange.
Trump said in Twitter messages later on Saturday that, if NFL players wanted "the privilege" of high salaries, they "should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!" ...

As commissioner, Goodell reports to NFL owners, some of whom have supported Trump in the past. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a major Trump presidential campaign donor, was confirmed by the Senate last month as Trump's pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Britain.
The union representing professional football players also rejected Trump's comments, saying it would defend their right to freedom of expression. ...

NBA players also struck back against comments by the president on Saturday.
In an early morning Twitter message on Saturday, the president rescinded a White House invitation to basketball star Stephen Curry, who had said he would "vote" against the planned visit by the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
"Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!" Trump tweeted.
Curry told a news conference in Oakland, California: "It's beneath the leader of a country to go that route."
"It's not what leaders do," he said. ...
LeBron James came to Curry's defense, disputing Trump's assertion that visiting the White House was an honor.
"Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!" James, a prominent supporter of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential elections, said on Twitter. ...

Singer Stevie Wonder appeared to evoke protests by Kaepernick and other athletes when he put one knee to the stage during a concert at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City on Saturday.
"Tonight, I'm taking a knee for America," Wonder told the audience as his son, Kwame Morris, helped him down.

http://www.eurosport.com/basketball/...65/story.shtml