Donald Trump’s response to the National Football League’s players kneeling during the national anthem and Golden Gate Warrior point guard Stephen Curry’s rejection to attend a White House Celebration of the teams 2017 NBA Championship win has drawn intense blowback from the NFL and the NBA.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban fired back at President Donald Trump’s criticism of NFL players, as well as the president’s decision to revoke a White House invitation to Golden State Warriors' star Stephen Curry.
On Sunday, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a supporter, and donor who gave the president his Super Bowl ring, said "I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president on Friday.
“There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics.
"Our players are intelligent, thoughtful and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful."
NFL players have far more class and more understanding of America’s ideals than Trump does. Kudos to them for standing up to the bully-in-chief.
To recap: Trump went to Alabama Friday evening, and in front of a vastly white audience he criticized athletes -- nearly all of them black -- who have protested police brutality by silently holding a fist aloft or taking a knee on the sidelines of football games. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’”
In response, Steph Curry, star of the Golden Gate Warriors, winner of the N.B.A. championship in June, explained why he thought the team should skip the champions’ customary visit to the White House. “By acting and not going, hopefully that will inspire some change,” he said, “when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to.”
Yesterday morning, Trump declared on Twitter he would not invite Curry, to the White House.
Which led players around the country to respond. For example:
N.B.A. point guard Chris Paul: “With everything that's going on in our country, why are YOU focused on who's kneeling and visiting the White House??? #StayInYoLane
LeBron James: “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
Bishop Sankey, a Vikings running back: “It's a shame and disgrace when you have the President of the US calling citizens of the country sons of a bitches.”
Even N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell: “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the N.F.L., our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities.”
Donald Trump is not just an embarrassment. He's a petty, vindictive man-child who doesn’t want America to tolerate free speech he dislikes, and who wants to divide this nation. He is unfit to be our president. We must unite to remove him from office as soon as possible.
By Ken Belson And Julie Hirschfeld Davis
