LeBron James attacks Trump on MLK Day
It’s no secret that Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James is not a fan of President Donald Trump.
James has repeatedly lobbied thinly veiled criticisms at Trump over a variety of topics.
That being said, James remains steadfast in refusing to actually refer to Trump by name.
James’ latest anti-Trump rant came Monday, on Martin Luther King Day, after the Cavaliers’ shootaround.
While some outlets, such as ESPN, claimed James’ message promoted “peace and togetherness in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” others could construe James’ rhetoric as being just as divisive considering the millions of Americans that helped elect Trump.
“The state of racism will never die, but what we cannot do is allow it to conquer us as people,” James said. “We can’t allow it to divide us.”
James then resorted to his favored habit of referring to Trump as just a “guy.”
“The guy in control has given people and racism, and negative racism, an opportunity to be out and outspoken without fear,” James said.
Setting aside any questions about what exactly “negative racism” is, James doesn’t seem particularly unifying by tacitly linking Trump and his supporters to racism.
“And that’s the fearful thing for us because it’s with you, and it’s around every day, but he’s allowed people to come out and just feel confident about doing negative things,” James said about “the guy in control.”
Again, using phrases like “us” as in “us versus them” hardly seems to be promoting peace and togetherness.
“We can’t allow that to stop us from continuing to be together and preach the right word of living and loving and laughing and things of that nature. Because would we want to live anywhere else? I don’t think so. We love this place,” James said.
James didn’t end there, continuing to skewer the Trump presidency.
“We are in a difficult state right now as Americans, as well with the leader of our country,” James said.
He then went on to again use the term “us” while basically calling Trump stupid.
“But us, like I said, no matter the religion, no matter the shapes and sizes, we all have to continue to come together and shine a brighter light on, you know, I mean, [I don’t want to] use the word stupidity, but that’s basically what it comes down to,” James said.
The Cavaliers will host the Golden State Warriors in an NBA Finals rematch on Monday.
The NBA has a jam-packed MLK Day schedule, with 22 of the league’s 30 teams in action.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
