Young Black Men Are Nine Times More Likely to Be Killed by Police, but Trump Is Worried About What He Calls ‘Respect’ for the Flag
For the seventh day in a row President Donald Trump is attacking the NFL and its players for “taking a knee” or otherwise refusing to participate as the National Anthem is playing. Trump, who received million-dollar donations to his inaugural committee and to support his presidential campaign from some NFL owners, says he knows them and says they’re scared of their own players. And he says it’s “disgraceful.”
The president is demanding the NFL require all players to stand for the National Anthem. It is, of course, a gross violation of their free-speech rights. Even if it’s not coming from the government, it’s hard to see how courts would uphold it.
“The NFL cannot disrespect our country. They cannot disrespect our flag or our national anthem,â€Â Trump told Fox News in an interview taped Wednesday afternoon for broadcast Thursday (video below). “And they can’t have people sitting down or kneeling down during our national anthem.”
Trump says a year ago he saw NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneel in protest, “and I thought it was terrible.”
“And then it builds up a little bit, and a little bit more, and you see what’s been happening,” Trump said, acknowledging that protesting police shootings of Black people, and systemic racial oppression, is becoming more popular – and he doesn’t want that to happen.
He says he thinks “it’s very disrespectful to our country,” wholly ignoring the fact that Black people, often unarmed, are shot and killed by police at much higher rates than white people. In fact, as The Guardian reports, “black males aged 15-34 [are] nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed” by police.Â
Trump also is wholly ignoring the systemic racism that exists in America. Instead, he’s focused on “respect” – not for Americans, but for a flag.
Trump falsely claims that there’s “a rule that’s been in existence for a long time” that requires NFL players to stand for the National Anthem. There is no such rule, although there is a rule that says players must be present for the playing of the National Anthem.
He also says the NFL and the players have to “respect our country,” and “our flag and our anthem.”
“I have so many friends that are owners, and they’re in a box,” Â “I’ve spoken to a couple of them and they say, ‘We are in a situation where we have to do something.’ I think they’re afraid of their players, if you want to know the truth. And I think it’s disgraceful.”
“When it comes to the respect of our nation, when it comes to the respect of our anthem and our flag, they have no choice,” Trump said.Â
The president frequently uses the phrase “no choice” in situations where there absolutely is a choice, but he wants people to think his demands are the only option.
On Wednesday Trump said if the NFL does not ban the anthem protests their businesses will be “going to hell.”
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