BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN anchor Jemele Hill has been suspended by the network for two weeks for making political statements on social media.
Hill, who is African-American, received criticism from the network last month after referring to President Donald Trump as a “white supremacist.”
Hill targeted Jerry Jones after the Dallas Cowboys owner stated that players who disrespect the flag would not play for his team.
Hill tweeted Sunday that fans who disagree with Jones should target the team’s advertisers and not buy the team’s merchandise. She clarified Monday she was not calling for an NFL boycott.
ESPN said in a statement Monday that Hill and all employees were reminded in the aftermath of the Trump tweet that posts that may reflect negatively on the company would have consequences.
Just like Andy Dufresne’s two weeks in the hole for playing the opera record.
Easiest time she’ll ever do.
Edit: If you haven’t read the tweets, please do. They’re about the dilemma that players face right now between representing the NFL and representing their own communities and consciences, and what actions are available to fans beyond just looking for gestures from players. After the earlier “counseling” Hill got for truthfully calling Trump a white supremacist, she had a similar dilemma: stay silent and risk being viewed as a sellout, or speak up and take the consequences. So she spoke up, knowing full well that ESPN’s sellout threshold is calibrated somewhat differently from hers. They can’t fire her, but they need (their perspective, not mine) to do something. So they get their wrist-slap and she gets to show that she can still speak truth to power. Hence my original comment.
I wonder: does she have the next gig lined up already, or think she’s indispensable, or have convictions stronger than ambitions, or maybe something I haven’t imagined. She doesn’t strike me as Trumpishly unable to apply discretion.
Quick story on Jerry Jones’ values. Michael Irvin once told a story about how he stabbed a team mate in the neck with scissors in training camp. Jerry paid the victim to go away so Michael could play. So, in short: stabbing team mate is ok, protesting racial inequality is not.
Boycott ESPN for two weeks, or forever which I have been doing since I don’t watch it anyway. Gimme a list to hurt Jerry Jones’ income and I’ll do it with joy.