San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid didn’t hold back when speaking about Vice President Mike Pence leaving the game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Pence left the game after many players (23 49ers, to be exact), kneeled during the national anthem.
So Eric Reid fired back, saying Pence’s walkout looked more like a PR stunt.
He concludes, “And so, this is what systemic oppression looks like. A man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple things out and leaves the game, with an attempt to thwart our efforts.”
.@E_Reid35 is right. @VP‘s performance today is what systemic oppression looks like. #TakeAKnee pic.twitter.com/U7gUaljFCo
— Civil Rights (@civilrightsorg) October 8, 2017
Systemic oppression is segregated restrooms and water fountains. Systemic oppression is stoning women to death for adultery.
Systemic oppression is not a guy coming to a Colts game to watch a bunch of players earn millions of dollars and then complain about it. That’s called exercising your free right as an American to stand for something. They’re both doing it.
And when both Pence and Trump had something to say about it on Twitter later, CNN chimed in as the NFL’s newfound parrot.
I stand with @POTUS Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/B0zP5M41MQ
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
Pretty standard for a president of the United States to ask his VP to do something. I’ve seen it done once or twice before.
CNN couldn’t let it rest. They quickly came out with an article – archived under “analysis” – Donald Trump Just Used Mike Pence For A PR Stunt.
A “PR stunt.” The day has finally come where NFL players are forwarding policy buzzwords and CNN simply piggybacks.
“The Pence protest is a perfect example of Trump as the puppet master of a giant reality show he’s producing,” Cillizza writes.
He walked out as Trump’s puppet. Not because he has any thoughts or opinions of his own as the second most powerful face of the free world. The flagrant ignorance behind Cillizza and Reid’s thought process is so lost on them that they’re starting to mirror each other.
I’m looking forward to watching Cillizza play safety next Sunday against the Redskins. If we’re lucky, Eric Reid may even write a few analytical rants for CNN in the meantime.