The Super Bowl has come and gone, and the New England Patriots won. But they’re hardly out of the limelight, as the second player from the team is refusing to go to the White House and see the President for a congratulatory visit.
Devin McCourty, 2-time Pro Bowl defensive back and 2-time Super Bowl champion has, like Martellus Bennett (tight end), rejected the President and his perceived racism. However, unlike Mr. Bennett, Mr. McCourty is more than willing to tell everyone why he decided not to ‘legitimize’ President Trump by posing in a team picture with him.
He sent a text message to TIME Magazine with his explanation. He stated, “I’m not going to the White House. Basic reason for me is I don’t feel accepted in the White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won’t. I can’t imagine a way I go there.”
For those out there who may not know, by ‘certain people’ feeling accepted, he was referring to the team’s quarterback, coach, and owner, all of which are close, personal friends to the President.
This shouldn’t be a huge surprise to those who follow football closely, as both McCourty and Bennet actively participated in Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest. Though they did not kneel, they did raise their fists for unity during the anthem as it played in a September game.
Completely ignoring the fact that Tom Brady did the same exact thing to Mr. Obama, the right wingers through a huge fit when Bennett announced that he would be skipping out on the tradition of visiting the White House for a post-championship celebration.
Though we can expect the same sort of outcries from Trump’s fans when they hear about McCourty’s disrespectful display, personally we applaud him. We encourage all people to stand up for their beliefs and to not bow down to or normalize Trump.