Trump, Democrats Send Dueling Super Bowl Messages
US President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders offered dueling messages during Super Bowl LII on protesting racial injustice.
Mr Trump issued a Super Bowl message, in keeping with the White House’s opposition to NFL protests against Police brutality and racial injustice, included a line about standing for the national anthem. “Though many of our nation’s service members are unable to be home with family and friends to enjoy this evening’s American tradition, they are always in our thoughts and prayers,” Mr Trump’s statement read.
“We owe these heroes the greatest respect for defending our liberty and our American way of life. Their sacrifice is stitched into each star and every stripe of our Star-Spangled Banner. We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the national anthem.” Mr Trump, a longtime sports fan and backer of the returning champion New England Patriots, who are facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis, has railed against players taking a knee during the national anthem, which was started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Mr Trump has called on the NFL to pull players who participate in the protest. Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Cory Booker and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, invoked Rosa Parks’ birthday, February 4, to send an implicit message on Sunday night supporting protests against racism.
“Rosa Parks proved that, sometimes, the best way to stand up is to sit down,” Ms Pelosi, a California Democrat, tweeted, invoking the civil rights icon who famously refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.
The New Jersey senator also addressed the protests directly in a Facebook post. “Ahead of the #Superbowl tonight, let’s not forget that protest is patriotic -- whether you take a knee, raise a fist, sit down or stand up. We love America,” Ms Booker wrote. “We may all have different approaches in the struggle towards creating a more equal and just nation, we may not always agree (like the wide unpopularity of Muhammad Ali’s protests) — but everyone who truly loves America knows we are all in this journey together.”