Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous harshly condemned President Donald J. Trump’s weekend NFL tweetstorm in an email blast today, writing “we can’t allow Donald Trump to divide us.”
The last few days the president has been critical of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling previously during the national anthem, tweeting that the NFL should fire its players who refuse to stand up while the national anthem is played.
Jealous’ email blast began,
To Donald Trump, the violent white supremacists who descended upon upon Charlottesville — tiki torches in hand — are “very fine people.” It took Trump days to condemn white nationalists and neo-Nazis and, when he did, he hedged his condemnation.
To Donald Trump, Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem at an NFL game to peacefully protest police brutality is a “son of a b—-.” This weekend, Donald Trump tweeted no fewer than ten times about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.
Jealous praised Kaepernick, writing,
Colin Kaepernick is using his celebrity to bring much-needed attention to the inequities that still exist in our society, as well as remind us that freedom of speech is a privilege extended to all Americans. Taking a knee reminds us of the violence and terror that black and brown communities are subjected to in this country. Black men and women are arrested, incarcerated and killed at much higher rates than white Americans. His kneeling is a reminder that we cannot look away. We must engage in a dialogue.
The email blast concluded by asking supporters to add their name to the list and “take a knee with us today.”
