New York Giants fullback Nikita Whitlock was the victim of a break-in Tuesday. Before the intruders fled the scene with his property, they vandalized the walls with “KKK” and a swastika, a trend that has not coincidentally picked up steam in this country after Donald Trump was elected president.
On Thursday, Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz didn’t hold back when asked what happened to Whitlock and his family. From The Daily News:
“I think it’s definitely a direct reflection of how this country’s being run and how this country’s reacting maybe to some of the decisions, some of the ways that this country’s being run and things that are being said by people at the helm of this country and at the helm of our day-to-day lives — our day-to-day, from social media all the way up to the White House,” Cruz, a product of nearby Paterson, N.J., said Thursday in the Giants’ locker room. “These are things that are being spoken of and talked about on a daily basis, the good and the bad, more so the bad at this point right now because that’s all we have to work with. It’s just an unfortunate situation we’re going through right now.”
“I think there’s a specific mindset that comes with supporting a guy like Donald Trump and supporting what he stands for, and there’s a certain type of person that comes with that, and I’m not sure that person is always a positive-minded person. You know what I mean? You just have to be careful. As a minority you have to be careful. As a person of influence you have to be careful, and you’ve just got to make sure your family’s safe and give them the knowledge to stay safe in this world.”
It’s probably only a matter of time before Trump sees these quotes and tweets a passive-aggressive comment that results in harassment for Cruz, who said he doesn’t care if that happens. Whitlock’s break-in happened in Moonachie, which isn’t far from MetLife stadium or from where Cruz grew up.
“That’s what’s most shocking to me about this specific incident with Nikita Whitlock, is that this is 20 minutes from where I grew up,” Cruz said. “This could have easily happened in Paterson, this could have easily happened in Clifton or Passaic or Lyndhurst for that matter. This could have happened anywhere.”
Cruz also talks about the fear of posting pictures of his family on social media, because who knows what someone may do if they recognize his daughter in public. Consider this your regular reminder that everything is bad and will continue to be that way to varying degrees over the next four to eight years.
