Somebody had to say what every person of color and sensible American was thinking.
ESPNs Jemele Hill, one half of the “SC6” team, has never been one to beat around the bush or mince words when discussing race issues in America. She speaks on the subject with the same passion, personal perspective and insight that she exudes when pontificating on everything from domestic abuse to the country’s drug and poverty epidemic.
While sports is her bread and butter, inevitably her personal feelings on race and politics has moved to the forefront as the station has spent a large majority of its coverage the past year on social issues promoted by the desire of today’s African-American players to be more vocal about their beliefs and concerns about direction of the country. In the past, Hills been critical of law enforcement and President Trump. Its no mystery she hasn’t forgiven Trump for his past offensive remarks concerning women, Mexicans, people of color and any other social group you can mention.
When the President hesitated to denounce the terrorists who killed an innocent person in Charlottesville, Va., that was just about the last straw. Always vocal and open about her feelings, Hill decided to call a spade a spade and first she licked a shot at Kid Rock for going at Colin Kaepernick.
Jemele Hill on Twitter
He loves black people so much that he pandered to racists by using a flag that unquestionably stands for dehumanizing black people. https://t.co/ukbl3RodoP
Then she denounced the President as a white supremacist in a series of Tweets.
Jemele Hill on Twitter
@DonnyParlock @demillz84 @JayG34 Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.
Jemele Hill on Twitter
@DonnyParlock @demillz84 @JayG34 He is unqualified and unfit to be president. He is not a leader. And if he were not white, he never would have been elected
Jemele Hill on Twitter
@DonnyParlock @demillz84 @JayG34 Donald Trump is a bigot. Glad you could live with voting for him. I couldn’t, because I cared about more than just myself
Jemele Hill on Twitter
@DonnyParlock @demillz84 @JayG34 The height of white privilege is being able to ignorehis white supremacy, because it’s of no threat to you. Well, it’s a threat to me.
The social media firestorm that followed and the racist responses only served to prove Hill’s assertion that our country is poisoned and it starts at the top.
While theres no reason to think that Hill will lose her job, ESPN felt it had to make a statement separating the company from Hills remarks. Then again, Rob Parker got fired for calling RGIII a cornball so anything is possible when those ESPN suits start squirming.
ESPN PR on Twitter
ESPN Statement on Jemele Hill:
Reacting to the opinion of every Tom, Dick and Do Do bird that has something to say about one of their radio personalities or telecasts has become ESPNs style. The company has millions upon million of viewers and pleasing all of them is impossible. Legislating the political beliefs of its employees on their Twitter accounts is ridiculous. The thought police has officially taken over.
There is no way that sports talk should have gotten this messy or political. Maybe Sage Steele was right. ESPN should get back to talking sports and leave the politics to the politicians. Unfortunately, the company has already opened that can of worms and the climate of the country has people of color eager to express their outrage. Besides, politics should be all about the people. That’s the point Hill makes when she takes the POTUS to task for ignoring the true needs of his country and constituency. These problems that Hill references — the racism in society and sports and the disrespectful attitude towards black lives inspired by the questionable actions of our President — are real in her community.
The reaction to her remarks has been a lightning bolt of racism, sexism, and everything that is bad in America. Jemele Hill is a hero in the African-American community and apparently an enemy of some in white America and her own employer because she doesn’t support bigotry or oppression in any form. She’s also apparently unpatriotic because she didn’t post a 9/11 tweet yesterday. When did sports fans become so damn sensitive?
Xrayted on Twitter
@jemelehill on 9/11 u don’t post 1 9/11 tweet. U are a Fuckin piece of shit. U don’t love this country at all. I guess ur “oppressed” too?
For years Black people have had to sit and listen to their needs, thoughts, and beliefs be misrepresented by all-white sportscasters. Finally, the African-American fan base has a primetime show featuring an African-American man and woman, producing great content for the station and ESPN’s concerned with what the sports host puts on her Twitter about a President that’s as crooked as the letter on a St. Ides bottle.
Problem with ESPN is the company doesn’t stand for anything but the dollar bill and they should be more concerned with how Hill does her job on ESPN than what her personal feelings are about a President that has done more than enough to prove that people who look like Hill are expendable afterthoughts in his bid to make America Great again.
