Donald Trump should stick to his job, or get out

Surprise! The president thinks peaceful protesters are SOB's while torch carrying racist are good people.

By D. Watkins

Editor at Large

Published September 23, 2017 3:53PM (EDT)

 (Getty/Ralph Freso)
(Getty/Ralph Freso)

I think George W Bush was a horrible president–– and still in midst of all his screw ups with the economy, the wars, and meaningless quotes, he was smart enough to focus on his job as president of the United States. Obama has a great jump shot, and I’d bet my last dollar that could hold his own with any 40 and over crowd across the county, but basketball was just a hobby. He was president. Obama didn’t have time to take shots at athletes if he disagreed with them or not because the country had to be ran. And now we are in the era of Trump who seems to have interest in everything but his job.

"Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out. He's fired. He's fired!" Trump said during a campaign rally in Alabama for Senate candidate Luther Strange.

It’s crazy how the president doesn’t want to be labeled as a white supremacist but then reads directly from a white supremacist play book. Again, President Trump shouldn’t have the time to voice an opinion but since he did, let’s identify some of the many racist things that is keeping his title as White Supremacist in Chief intact.

Calling for these “sons of bitches,” to be fired rather than trying to understand where the frustration comes and why they are doing peaceful-silent-protest is a problem. Calling their mom’s bitches, because they have the bravery to stand up against an unjust system is a problem. Calling hate spewing torch burning racist “good people,” and athletes who want a fair shake in an obviously unjust system SOB’s is a problem. And the fact that presidents just shouldn’t talk like that. Right?

The NFL released a statement in response to Trump’s remarks.

“The NFL and our players are at our best when we help create a sense of unity in our country and culture. There is no better example than the amazing response from our clubs and player to the terrible national disasters we’ve experienced over the last month. Divisive comments like these demonstrate and unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities”

I applaud the quick response; however, why not mention Kapernick and the $1 million dollars he has pledged to organizations in an effort to aide social relations in America? He’s the real patriot right? If the players are at their best when creating unity in our country, then isn’t Kapernick a perfect example?

The Players Union just recognized him as the league's week one MVP for his contributions. Failing to address the elephant in the room, and by elephant, I mean the obvious racism makes the statement invalid, but it’s not over. Trump continues with the NBA, just in time for basketball season.

Yesterday in the press conference, Steph Curry simply said, “I don’t want to go to the White House.”

“That we don’t stand for basically what our President has – the things that he’s said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right times, that we won’t stand for it. And by acting and not going, hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to,” the NBA champion explained.

Curry continued, “It’s not just the act of not going there. There are things you have to do on the back end to actually push that message into motion."

“Athletes are all trying to do what we can. We’re using our platforms, using our opportunities to shed light on that, so that’s kind of where I stand on it. I don’t think us not going to the White House is going to miraculously make everything better, but this is my opportunity to voice that,” he added.

Trump responded on Twitter:

“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating; therefore, invitation is withdrawn!”

 

Curry did nothing wrong. He voiced his opinion in a respectful manner and again, no commentary from Trump is needed as he should be dealing with North Korea and his promise to get Americans back to work. What I find most strangely about the Trump-Curry exchange is the idea that you can withdraw an invitation from a person who said they were never coming. LeBron James, an NBA rival of Curry quickly came to his defense tweeting the same thing, “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”  

I’m sure Donald will respond with a jab or two at LeBron by the time this article hits as that is what Donald does, but still, he needs to be stopped. If someone out there loves Trump­­ –– tell him to do his job because his actions are making all of us look like a joke. Make him stick to touting his false accomplishments and if you can’t do that then please delete his Twitter app or hide his phone because this is only getting worse.

Lebron James said it best, going to the White House used to an honor and now, you couldn’t pay me to go there. Don’t be surprised if you never see another athlete in the White House until 46 is elected.


By D. Watkins

D. Watkins is an Editor at Large for Salon. He is also a writer on the HBO limited series "We Own This City" and a professor at the University of Baltimore. Watkins is the author of the award-winning, New York Times best-selling memoirs “The Beast Side: Living  (and Dying) While Black in America”, "The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir," "Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised: A Memoir of Survival and Hope" as well as "We Speak For Ourselves: How Woke Culture Prohibits Progress." His new books, "Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments," and "The Wire: A Complete Visual History" are out now.

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