Remember Jemele Hill, the ESPN host who tweeted that Trump was a white supremacist and then really didn’t apologize? She was subsequently suspended by ESPN.
Well now she’s in the news again as she was just suspended for a second time over her tweets:
🚨 ESPN statement: "@JemeleHill has been suspended for two weeks for a second violation of our social media guidelines."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 9, 2017
ESPN's Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/JkVoBVz7lv
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 9, 2017
So what did she do this time? She was encouraging people to boycott the sponsors of the Dallas Cowboys after Jerry Jones statement on now allowing players to play if they kneel for the National Anthem:
This play always work. Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ's statement, boycott his advertisers. https://t.co/LFXJ9YQe74
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
She had earlier said this:
Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don't kneel, some will see them as sellouts.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
One of her followers replied:
They need to try his ass, every starter whose position is secure should take a knee starting with the QB, WR and OL.
— TripOnThis (@whoistrip) October 9, 2017
She then replied that people should take action:
No, I think the Cowboy fans -- the paying customers -- need to pick up this fight. Don't look to Dez or Dak. YOU do it. https://t.co/f9YjZFgGGt
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
That led to the above tweet about boycotting the Cowboy’s sponsors.
Here’s what Jones said about the players being penalized for kneeling:
FOX NEWS – Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Sunday any player who disrespects the flag will not play.
Jones’ comments, the strongest made on the anthem controversy, came after he was asked about Vice President Mike Pence leaving the game in Indianapolis early after several San Francisco 49ers players took a knee during the national anthem.
“I know this, we cannot … in the NFL in any way give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag,” he said following the Cowboys’ 35-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers. “We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind that the National Football League and the Dallas Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag. So we’re clear.”
Dallas players have stood on the sideline, many with hands over their hearts, during the anthem ever since former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling last season in protest of what he believed were instances of racial injustice in the U.S.
Jones said showing respect for the flag and the anthem is more important to him than any potential issues of team unity.
“There is no room here if it comes between looking non-supportive of our players and of each other or creating the impression that you’re disrespecting the flag, we will be non-supportive of each other,” Jones said. “We will not disrespect the flag.”
Jones said he wasn’t aware of whether any of his players had raised a fist at the end of the anthem before the Green Bay game.
“I don’t know about that,” Jones said. “But if there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. OK? Understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won’t play. Period.”
As a Cowboy fan I appreciate his sentiment, but kinda wish he hadn’t put that ultimatum out there. Now I fear that some player of value will test him and the next thing you know we’ll have good players being benched and the distraction circus will continue. That’s the last thing the Cowboys need right now.