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US anthem

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President Donald Trump comes again under fire after his criticism of NFL players.

On September 22, President Trump said the NFL should fire players who protest during the US anthem.

High-profile football players as well as basketball star LeBron James openly criticized President Trump in response.

One NFL team owner said Donald Trump’s comments were “offensive” but the president has gone on to repeat his criticism.

At a rally on September 22, President Trump said NFL players who protested during the playing of the national anthem should be fired by their team – referencing a controversial string of protests over race relations started by player Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement saying “divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect”.

Donald Trump, however, doubled down on his comments in a tweet: “Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country. Tell them to stand!”

The NFL Players’ Association said President Trump had crossed a line by effectively telling players to just “shut up and play”.

Association president Eric Winston said President Trump’s comments were “a slap in the face to the civil rights heroes of the past and present”.

Colin Kaepernick Anthem Row: Several NFL Players Join Protest

Colin Kaepernick Anthem Protest: Barack Obama Defends NFL Player’s Right to Make A Point

Donald Trump Condemns Colin Kaepernick’s Anthem Protest

Colin Kaepernick Protest: 49ers May Lose Santa Clara Police Protection

Photo Wikipedia

On September 23, the Oakland Athletics’ Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel in protest during the national anthem, mimicking the gesture of protest started by Colin Kaepernick.

Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers – Kaepernick’s former team – said he would continue to support his players.

“The callous and offensive comments made by the President are contradictory to what this great country stands for,” Jed York said in a statement.

There has been no comment from many teams, including New York Jets owner Woody Johnson – a wealthy businessman and Trump campaign donor who was appointed as his ambassador to the UK.

On September 23, President Trump withdrew an invitation to the White House to basketball champions the Golden State Warriors after one player, Stephen Curry, said he did not want to attend.

Stephen Curry – NBA’s most valuable player in 2015 – said he wanted to show that he and other players did not stand for “the things that he’s said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right times”.

President Trump tweeted afterwards: “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.

“Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!”

In response, triple NBA champion LeBron James, one of the sport’s foremost stars, labeled President Trump a “bum”.

He said: “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”

Retired star Kobe Bryant also tweeted his support: “A #POTUS whose name alone creates division and anger. Whose words inspire dissension and hatred can’t possibly <<Make America Great Again>>.”

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Donald Trump said San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick should “find a country that works better for him” after the NFL player’s national anthem protest.

Colin Kaepernick, 28, said he will continue to sit out the national anthem until he sees improvements in US race relations.

The Republican presidential nominee weighed in on Colin Kaepernick’s decision to sit during The Star-Spangled Banner in a pre-game ceremony.

Donald Trump called the quarterback’s controversial stand a “terrible thing.”

“I think it’s a terrible thing, and you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him,” he told KIRO radio in Seattle.

Photo Wikipedia

Photo Wikipedia

“Let him try. It won’t happen.”

Colin Kaepernick stirred controversy on August 26 when he sat during the national anthem before the 49ers played the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game.

He refused to stand in protest at the oppression of people of color in the US.

Racial tensions are mounting in the US, where a string of recent police killings and subsequent revenge killings have sparked protests across the nation.

Colin Kaepernick’s actions have ignited a debate about respect, patriotism and the right of free speech.

The White House said it disagreed with Colin Kaepernick’s protest but that he had a right to express his views.

An NFL spokesman said players were “encouraged but not required” to stand during the anthem.

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Cyndi Lauper is now highly criticized on Twitter for changing the lyrics of the US national anthem at the US Open during the remembrance ceremony of the 9/11 10th anniversary.

Cyndi Lauper performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the beginning of the women’s final tennis match between Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki.

Cyndi Lauper singing US national anthem at US Open 9/11 commemoration

Cyndi Lauper singing US national anthem at US Open 9/11 commemoration

 

Cyndi Lauper was doing fine until she got to that crucial line regarding ”the ramparts we watched,” the same line that Christina Aguilera famously botched during 2011 Super Bowl.

While Christina Aguilera’s error involved a reference to “the twilight’s last reaming” — a line that surely Francis Scott Key did not have in mind when he wrote the poem that inspired America’s definitive piece of musical patriotism — Cyndi Lauper changed the lyric less significantly.

Cyndi Lauper sang “O’er the ramparts, we watched as our flag was still streaming,” instead of the usual “O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming.”

After this incident, all tweeters went nuts and, in yet another irony, blasted Cyndi Lauper for making such a terrible mistake while making an error of their own and completely misspelling her name –“Yes, Cindy Lauper has been a trending topic tonight on the social networking site.”

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