With the exception of the Houston Texans, NFL protests on Sunday were quite scaled down from where they were a few weeks ago. However, if the Reverend Jesse Jackson had his way, the protests would be on the increase.
Speaking to the Houston Chronicle on Sunday, Jackson said, “The players should escalate their nonviolent protests. Donald Trump called them ‘sons of bitches.’ (Colin) Kaepernick is not degrading the flag. He’s kneeling to pray, which is in our best tradition. If we had not knelt and prayed nonviolently, where would we be today as a society?”
Texans Owner Bob McNair landed in hot water on Friday after comments he made during an NFL meeting on October 17th became public. During that meeting, McNair mangled the saying, “can’t let the inmates run the asylum.” Saying instead, that you “can’t let the inmates run the prison.” This didn’t sit well with NFL Executive Vice President of Operations Troy Vincent, who took offense to those comments.
Jackson also addressed McNair’s comments, saying they were indicative of a “plantation mentality.”
“The players are objectified in a sense,” Jackson said. “Mr. McNair is a product of the South. They act like he’s a victim or misunderstood, but those players have made him a wealthy man.”
For the record, McNair was a wealthy man prior to the arrival of his football players. Which is how he was able to afford to buy a football team in the first place. Jackson said he believed McNair should get sanctioned by the NFL for his comments.
McNair has officially apologized at least twice for his comments. His team, the Texans, staged a massive protest against him on Sunday regardless.