Police brutality, mass incarceration and inequality are at the forefront of the American psyche, and NFL players are in the middle of it. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the National Anthem in silent protest. This set a fire under white America that was more intent on painting Kaepernick as un-patriotic than trying to stop the state-sanctioned killing of unarmed African Americans by the police.
At a September 2017 event in Alabama where he stumped for junior Senator Luther Strange, Trump suggested those “Sons of bitch players” should stand for the flag or be removed from the field. After several clap backs from LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and certain NFL players, we appear to be at a stalemate. Houston Texans wide receiver Deandre Hopkins recently suggested Trump was too closed-minded to listen to the players:
I think Trump is more closed-minded and thinks the really that we’re kneeling is because of the flag when that’s not at all the reason we’re kneeling … One of my best friends is a purple heart veteran; my uncle is a purple heart veteran. They understand that it’s not about the flag. When a person like that (Trump) thinks it’s about the flag, of course his followers will think that too.
The Shock Exchange is on record that this is about politics. In making the players look unpatriotic Trump endears himself to his conservative base. Sans any improvement on the economy, being able to stoke passions with the Republican base could help the party during mid-term elections. Though Trump may not listen to Hopkins, the president definitely listens to Trump And The Global Economy town hall; the town hall brings together athletes, economists, activists and entrepreneurs to discuss the impact of Trump’s policies on the economy and the community. The next event will be August 8th in Fort Greene Brooklyn. Will Hopkins be there?
