NFL players defied Trump on Sunday by kneeling during the national anthem before a game between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sensing an issue that he can use to further divide America for his own benefit, Trump attacked the NFL players for expressing their First Amendment rights on Sunday morning:
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
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…NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
Before Sunday’s morning NFL game in London between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens several players responded to Trump’s attacks by taking a knee during the national anthem.
Here is a video of players from both Jacksonville and Baltimore kneeling:
Players from the Jacksonville Jaguars kneeling:
Players from the Baltimore Ravens kneeling:
Trump is wrong. NFL ratings and attendance aren’t down due to the protests. The ratings were already showing signs of erosion because the NFL has oversaturated the market with a boring product. Sunday afternoons used to be for the NFL, but when the league decided that it was going to turn itself into a 24/7 year-round form of entertainment, they began wearing their own fans out. There is just too much NFL all the time.
If the NFL would follow Trump’s advice and fire or suspend players for protesting, the lawsuit against the league by the players would be epic. It can be argued that since the players are public performers, they have a First Amendment right to protest, but Trump doesn’t care about the legal merits of what he is saying.
Donald Trump is trying to play to his base and deepen the divides in the country.
It is great to see so many NFL players take a stand against Trump’s attacks.
By playing to his ever-shrinking base, Trump’s big move backfired and only made the protests stronger.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
