If you woke up this morning curious if the president of your country is still more concerned with athletes standing for a flag and national anthem than the welfare of the citizens both totems are meant to represent, congratulations, you might just live in America. Today continues Donald Trump’s war on the NFL, and specifically its black players who have taken a knee during the national anthem in protest of the systemic killing of black people by police, which recently turned ugly when Trump referred to these players as “sons of bitches†who should be fired. His response has left Trevor Noah wondering: When, exactly, is it convenient for white people for black people to exercise their First Amendment right?
Noah’s investigation turned up a telling pattern in white critics’ arguments — that black players are “ungrateful.†He asks, “Ungrateful to whom? This idea that black people should be grateful is some sneaky ass racism. Because when a white billionaire spends a year screaming that America is a disaster, he’s in touch with the country. But when a black man kneels quietly, he should be grateful for the successes America has allowed him to have?†Noah also pointed out the hypocrisy in Trump’s reaction to the NFL protest compared with his comments after white nationalists clashed with protesters in Charlottesville: “If Donald Trump’s greatest concern is the disrespecting of the American flag, you know what should really piss him off? The Confederate flag.â€