COLUMN: Trump attacked Gold Star Family, senators, doesn't care about white supremacy, is barely helping Puerto Rico showing he isn't a patriot
I don’t know a lot about protesting. I’ve never taken part in a protest.
What I do know is protesting peacefully is a right given to all Americans by the First Amendment.
Over the past few weeks, players in the National Football League exercised their right on the platform available to them because of their abilities. Players had taken a knee to highlight the racial injustice that is faced by minorities in this country every single day.
It was simple, peaceful and truly American. They exercised their constitutional right.
It’s truly troubling when President Donald Trump, and others in this country, say it is un-American to do so and say the protesters should be fired.
It’s pathetically laughable when Trump calls others unpatriotic.
Protesting is patriotic.
You know what’s not?
Not condemning white supremacists who wave confederate and Nazi flags around and cause tension through our nation. Trump said, people who walk through the streets with torches and confederate flags to intimidate minorities are “very fine people”.
If they take a knee and remain silent during the national anthem, they’re “sons-of- b******.”
Disrespecting patriots like Sen. John McCain, who was captured and tortured in war, or talking down to Gold Star families like Khazir and Ghazala Khan whose son died serving in Iraq is disgusting.
To speak in such a shameful way about men and women who have died fighting to protect our rights is deplorable – even more so if you’ve never served in any branch of the military.
Ignoring the millions of American citizens of Puerto Rico who desperately need aid and instead focusing on black athletes is unpatriotic.
It was only when he was pressed on the issue, did Trump respond to the crisis.
Increasing tensions with a hostile, rogue nation at the risk of a world war to stroke your own ego was a low I didn’t think Trump could stoop to.
The problem is our government, more specifically, Trump who is supposed to represent the country. Trump’s tweets act as fuel in the fire of the propaganda machine of North Korea.
Trump degrades himself and the office he occupies when he called athletes “sons-of-b******”. Those athletes are the textbook definition of patriotism: Exemplary individuals who work to better their communities and society as a whole.
Just in the past couple weeks, NFL players raised and donated millions of dollars to disaster relief efforts in Houston. What unpatriotic sons-of-b******, right?
Patriotism isn’t even about respecting a flag. It’s about being a good person, serving your community, and helping everyone – no matter the color of their skin, their gender, or age – in our society.
It’s about standing up for others who don’t have the voice you do.
Patriotism is about being selfless.
Trump and those like him are no patriots.
