I would be surprised at the backlash against Jemele Hill if it wasn’t 2017. And 2017 has been apparent in its mind-numbing dismissiveness and bullshit. Instead of a nation that has come together, we have reveled in our separation. You have plenty of races tired of white people making excuses for their obvious privileged and dissonance. To counter, you have white (and some step-n-fetchit black people) that are willing to deride black people to “do better and stop being niggers”. In as much, the entire context and atmosphere for today’s events were made possible by our present president.
Jemele Hill Does It for the Culture
Enters Jemele Hill to call out the president for all of his contribution to the chaos. Not one to cower to white tears and mayo-splaining, Hill kept things quite honest. She noted the singular issue that most people have with Donald Trump: he is a white supremacist president. She made it known that Trump was the most “ignorant, offensive president” of her lifetime and that his rise was a direct result of white supremacy. In all, Jemele Hill reflected on the thoughts of millions of other U.S. citizens.
However, ESPN wasn’t having it. So, she apologized. ESPN accepted the apology. And life is moving on.
The malarkey doesn’t stop there. Beyond the fact that Hill had to apologize for giving accurate information, the president’s press secretary called for Hill’s dismissal. You read it right: Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for Jemele Hill to be fired for her commentary. After she wasn’t fired, Trump still feels he is owed an apology. It is 2017: anyone that questions and criticizes Trump should face the consequences. I mean, let us be real here: how more unpatriotic can one be?
The answer: as unpatriotic as being punished for giving a realistic, and critical, assessment of a president that has shifted an entire nation towards the negative.
Jemele Hill Indirectly Pulled Trump’s Skirt
I’m not about to reference ESPN in this situation. ESPN took on the role of the big wig company. They have the issue of worrying about their brand. So, that is that.
What I am going to do is point out the fact that the actions of the president and his constituents lead me to believe that they don’t believe in democracy. Sure, they should not agree with Jemele Hill’s sentiments. And that is understandable. However, to say that she should be fired for being critical of the president in a way that is blatantly true? That doesn’t give an air of democracy: that smells like a shitty form of tyrannical dictatorship.
One would have to be wholly ignorant to see that these actions by them fall short of any democratic sustenance. Democracy, in a nutshell, is founded on the idea that the people are critical of their leaders. The PEOPLE pick the leaders. The LEADER works for the people. The people are NOT here to play lemmings and follow behind their president and walk quietly while they fall off a cliff. In a democracy, the people are critical of leadership because the leadership (supposedly) works for the people.
Plus, this type of act by Trump and Crew is tiptoeing around a 1st Amendment violation. Just keep that in mind.
Jemele Hill Gets My Support
With all that is given, my support for Jemele Hill is expected. Thus, I will give my full backing by signing the petition by ColorofChange.org and spreading the word. I signed it already. Will you?