Al Sharpton took the defense of ESPN’s Jemele Hill to a new level, threatening the “wrath” of the civil rights community if the network fires her for her controversial comments about President Trump.
“What many of us in the civil rights community are saying,” Sharpton told MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace on Friday, “is that if ESPN does this, they’re going to face the wrath of a lot us.”
Sharpton defended Hill’s defamatory remarks, calling President Trump a “white supremacist” who “surrounds himself with other white supremacists,” as free speech and said she had the right to express herself.
“The reason we’re saying it from a civil rights point of view is you’re robbing a person of their right to express their views,” he said, blasting criticism from Trump and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
Sanders called on ESPN to take action after Hill’s defamatory tweet, calling it a “fireable offense.” But the network only called her insults “inappropriate,” refusing to apologize or to take further action. Hill, meanwhile, took to Twitter again to defend her racist jab.
So, to address the elephant in the room … #Facts pic.twitter.com/RTrIDD87ut
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 14, 2017
President Trump himself stepped in on Friday, calling on ESPN to “apologize for untruth!”
ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017
ESPN continues to ignore viewers’ demands that they stop pushing the left-wing propaganda and just deliver the sports, as many well-known African-Americans even condemned Hill’s insults as defamatory – a serious charge that could lead to termination of employment as well as legal action.
Besides threatening a civil rights uproar, Sharpton also said he would lead a boycott against ESPN if they actually fired Hill.
He told TMZ Sports that Sanders “should read the Constitution,” and Hill should not have to worry about the government calling for her job since she has the right to express her political views.
“Let’s not forget, ESPN is regulated by the FCC. The FCC commissioners are appointed by the White House so it’s a whole different level of intimidation on media outlets when you have the press secretary [calling for a reporter’s job],” he said.
He offered Hill a personal message:
“Stand strong. If they take you out, many of us in the civil rights community will stand up for you and take ESPN off our service.”
Wake up right! Receive our free morning news blast HERE
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
[email protected]
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
- Ron Paul eviscerates Mike Johnson for ‘stiffing’ the Republicans who got him elected as speaker - April 25, 2024
- Tennessee passes death penalty for child rapists. Here’s some of the twisted reasoning why some Dems opposed it. - April 25, 2024
- Inside the demented ‘rationale’ of a squatter: ‘I have put a lot of work in here’ - April 25, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
