Trump threatens protesting NFL players on eve of white nationalist rally

As white nationalists prepare to rally outside the White House this weekend to commemorate the one-year anniversary of their deadly riot in Charlottesville, Trump is attacking protesters.

But he’s not taking issue with the white supremacists and neo-Nazis planning to descend on the nation’s capital.

Instead, he is once again attacking NFL players who peacefully protest to bring attention to police brutality and systemic racism.

The morning after several players respectfully kneeled or raised a fist during the National Anthem of preseason NFL games, Trump unleashed his typical racist tirade.

“Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their ‘outrage’ at something that most of them are unable to define,” he tweeted.

“Find another way to protest,” he continued. “Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!”

NFL players have been crystal clear about their reasons for protesting. Before Thursday night’s game, Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins brought attention to systemic injustice in the criminal justice system, tweeting, “lets take some time to ponder that more than 60% of the prison population are people of color.”

But Trump, who has hired numerous white nationalists and Nazi-linked advisers to work at the White House, refuses to acknowledge that black athletes are capable of knowing why they protest. And rather than seek to understand, he opted to insult the players, and then threaten their paychecks.

Trump’s outburst comes nearly a year to the day after the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Last year, Trump famously blamed both the hate-filled Nazis and counter-protestors for violence that resulted in the death of counter-protestor Heather Heyer.

Trump went so far as to call Nazis “very fine people.”

Trump has demonstrated his racism since long before occupying the Oval Office. He spent years promoting the racist myth that President Obama was not a real American, latching on to the birther bandwagon years before he entered politics.

Trump attacked an American-born judge of Mexican heritage, claiming his race made it impossible for him to do his job. He attacked the nations of Haiti and all the people living on the continent of Africa, referring to them collectively as “shithole countries.”

Trump’s policies on immigration have clear racist implications, and his animosity toward Muslims is evident in his multiple attempts to institute a Muslim Ban.

His attacks on black athletes and celebrities range from NFL players to basketball star LeBron James to music mogul Jay-Z. He is particularly angered by powerful women of color, such as Reps. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

On the eve of Nazis and white supremacists rallying outside his home, Trump has no words of condemnation for them or their ugly message. Instead, he’s focusing his rage on black athletes who dare to silently protest violence against them.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.