President Trump signaled Tuesday morning that he will not watch Major League Baseball’s shortened season slated to begin Thursday if players take a knee during the national anthem.
“Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!” he said.
Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2020
The previous night, members of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, including the team’s manager Gabe Kapler, took a knee during the national anthem in an exhibition game. The team’s Twitter account also posted the video with the hashtag “Black Lives Matter.”
#BlackLivesMatter
pic.twitter.com/cypjLQfoIZ— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 21, 2020
“I wanted them to know that I wasn’t pleased with the way our country has handled police brutality, and I told them I wanted to amplify their voices and I wanted to amplify the voice of the Black community and marginalized communities as well,” Kapler said about his decision to kneel.
Kapler specifically responded to Trump’s threat to boycott the season over kneeling by rejecting the argument that kneeling is disrespectful.
“My response is I don’t see it as disrespect at all,’’ he said. “I see nothing more American than standing up for what you believe in. I see nothing more patriotic than peaceful protests when things are frustrating and upsetting.”
Giants outfielder Jaylin Davis took to Twitter to explain his decision to join Kapler, arguing that kneeling has “nothing to do” with how he feels about the flag and the military, but he was instead “using his platform” to speak out against “racial injustice.”
— Jaylin Davis (@Jay_Dave23) July 21, 2020
On Thursday night, several members of the Cincinnati Reds also took a knee before the anthem, including pitcher Amir Garrett and first baseman Joey Votto.
Many joined Trump in his criticism of kneeling, including conservative author and podcaster Dan Bongino, who said he won’t be watching baseball this year.
“And I’ll be adding myself to the long list of Americans who won’t see it as we tune these disrespectful ignoramuses out,” Bongino tweeted in response to a video of the Giants kneeling. “No more baseball for me.”
And I’ll be adding myself to the long list of Americans who won’t see it as we tune these disrespectful ignoramuses out. No more baseball for me. https://t.co/bdQtkuA3ON
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) July 21, 2020
Although American sports have been largely sidelined due to coronavirus fears and lockdowns, kneeling and calls for players to kneel during the anthem as a form of protest have been reignited since the death of George Floyd on May 25.
National Football League star J.J. Watt says he plans to kneel when the season begins, and said, “You clearly haven’t been listening” if you believe kneeling during the anthem has anything to do with the military.
