Politics in America has been getting out of hand with U.S. President Donald Trump drawing growing criticism. NBA and NFL players have been making their stands and now Jeremy Lin considers these developments ‘scary’.
The NBA guard is no stranger when it comes to expressing his concerns on social issues and discrimination. Lin has done this through indirect ways but perhaps not in the same magnitude that the NBA and NFL have been doing right now.
Lin cautious in making a stand
The NBA will open its 2017-18 NBA season soon, an opening that will likely be hounded by the political fallout currently in effect.
As far as the NBA is concerned, a lot of this got out of hand when Trump withdrew the White House invitation to the reigning Golden State Warriors.
Everything started when Warriors star Stephen Curry replied to a question by Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post that he would skip visiting the White House. Trump would rescind the invitation 20 minutes later, Sports Illustrated reported.
Following that tweet from the U.S. President, social media simply went ballistic. LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers called Trump a bum, adding that visiting the White House was a special privilege before he showed up.
For Lin, these developments have been a cause for concern. While he has been known to make a stand, he is left wondering how to use his platform and voice to make his own stand, the NY Post reported.
NFL reaction more massive
The reaction the NBA has had may pale in comparison with what the NFL has so far shown. Most teams have their players kneeling or sitting in protest. Last Friday, Trump said at a rally in Alabama that players who fail to stand should be fired or suspended.
The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
That response drew further criticism with the U.S.
President later on clarifying via Twitter that the whole kneeling issue had nothing to do with race but respect for country, flag, and the national anthem, BBC reported.
As of this writing, the protests have continued over in the NFL. Despite calling on owners to fire protesting players, Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones surprised many when he knelt alongside players and coaches before the national anthem was played, Sportingnews.com reported.
He would later get up and lock arms with his players when the anthem was played. Jones’ actions also shot down a previously (fake) news report wherein he would have allegedly fired some players had they continued their practice of not standing for the national anthem.
As for Lin, it remains to be seen if the Brooklyn Nets (or any other team) would make a stand of their own. But if ever there were plans, it would be unified according to Lin and Spencer Dinwiddie according to the same report on the NY Post.
