Mike Ditka issues a new statement over his Anthem protest remarks…

Mike Ditka stepped in it a bit when he was speaking to Jim Gray during the game on Monday night. He said the following to Jim Gray which raised some eyebrows:

“There has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of,” Ditka said. “Now maybe I’m not watching it as carefully as other people. I think the opportunity is there for everybody — race, religion, creed, color, nationality. If you want to work, if you want to try, if you want to put effort in, you can accomplish anything.”

Honestly even I didn’t catch that when I posted it. Of course there’s been oppression and much worse in the last century.

Ditka released this statement to clarify his remarks:

I want to clarify statements that I made in an interview with Jim Gray last night. The characterization of the statement that I made does not reflect the context of the question that I was answering and certainly does not reflect my views throughout my lifetime. I have absolutely seen oppression in society in the last 100 years and I am completely intolerant of any discrimination. The interview was about the NFL and the related issues. That’s where my head was at. I was quoted in the interview stating, “You have to be color blind.” I stated that you should look at a person for what they are and not the color of their skin. I’m sorry if anyone was offended.

I’m glad he clarified and he needed to because his statement was definitely inaccurate to say the least.

That said, I don’t think he meant anything nefarious by it. It’s an emotional topic for people and he clearly spoke off the cuff about it without thinking what he said through.

Go ahead and consider this an open thread.


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