The NFL Today discusses The President’s comments on player protests. pic.twitter.com/6yuBVrwd5a
— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) September 24, 2017
As NFL Sunday continues on, so does Donald Trump, not only doubling down but tripling down on his divisive comments about athletes around the country “disrespecting the flag and the National Anthem” without ever addressing the crux of the kneeling in the first place — the inequality and police brutality that is affecting black communities. The true motivation behind the protests continues to get muddy for some that are trying to follow along, but that’s in part due to the shifting outrage, which has been fueled by Trump’s constant commentary.
Many athletes and organizations came together today in unity to not only follow Colin Kaepernick’s lead in bringing attention to police violence, but to address Trump’s continuous incendiary comments and decisions such as pardoning former sheriff Joe Arpaio, while calling Kaepernick and other players peacefully protesting “sons of bitches.”
It’s lit a fire under a national discourse that’s long overdue, and in that way, it may be working. Slowly but surely. Still, some may not entirely get it, like Charles Barkley. The NBA great explained his take, which seemed relatively well-intentioned, but was kind of shut down by Nate Burleson and Boomer Esiason.
Here’s the full transcription of the discussion between the CBS analysts:
Bill Cowher:
I respect Mike’s position in regards to this. But I would just say this, kneeling right now is not about issues. It’s about one’s right as an American citizen. And I think there is a stronger message to be sent to be out there. You can still be united, but you can also have different thoughts on it. Whether you’re kneeling and whether you are standing it’s an individual right. And I think it’s a stronger message than not going out there at all…So I respect his position, but I think it’s a stronger message. We can be united but we can think differently.
Barkley then responded:
We as players have to figure out what to do next. We’ve got to stop worrying about who is kneeling. We’ve got to not worry about who is not kneeling. We’ve got to figure out how we can go back in our communities and make a difference. We can’t be saying negative things on Twitter. That only escalates to the stupidity. But we’ve got these guys, myself included, we make more money than 99.9% of the people in the world. We’ve got to find a way to go back in our communities and raise up our communities. Let’s not worry about who is kneeling.
Nate Burleson then explained to Sir Charles that this is the moment to act. One step after another.
Listen, we’re talking about what’s next, and I can appreciate your thoughts on that. But as players, we have to handle what is now. There are going to be players that will sit and that will kneel. We’re hearing about teams that will stay in the locker room. And because of things that are going on in this country, but also because of the words of our President. So I don’t want any narrative to be changed where people say look at the players and look at what they’re doing. This is almost in direct response to our president calling players, and I say us, SOBs. And this isn’t as a player woe is me, this is a woe is us as a country.
Boomer Esiason wrapped up the discussion on a hopeful note:
What I’m seeing today is a unity between the owners and the players like I’ve never seen before. So the conversation is started. The conversation is going. I said a couple weeks ago right here that the NYPD here in New York, and I know the Commissioner O’Neill personally, he’s done yeoman’s work in trying to police the community properly, which they are every single day. So the conversation is working, change is happening. It’s slow, but what happened this past weekend, unfortunately, is really a blight on our country because it is unfortunate that he used those words and that tone.
Hopefully, more conversations like this can take place. Positive change and true, calm dialogue that can reinforce and clarify the perspectives of those protesting. It’s not about being disrespectful to the flag or the military or the National Anthem, it’s about inequality, and today, the POTUS’ firm misunderstanding of the situation.
