Doug Baldwin (Wikipedia)
Seattle Seahawks player Doug Baldwin believes classism and inequality led to Donald Trump assuming the role of the 45th United States president.
In a series of tweets Monday, the wide receiver explained he felt excited about the idea of presidential power during childhood. But he lost that wonder as he grew up. Baldwin’s reasoning was that he “saw more inequality than equality.”
Additionally, he questioned why Americans needed to “struggle so mightily for basic rights and respect” during the civil rights and the women’s rights movements.
But his next set of tweets blamed classism, not racism, for inequality.
“If the slave owners were Black and the slaves were white, we’d probably have the same issues,” Baldwin said of American dilemmas.
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798289862872793088
He explained his thoughts further in a follow-up tweet.
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798290371537055744
And added Americans allow oppression to occur “by being uninformed.”
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798291202411900928
The athlete also declared “we are not living in a democracy.” He stated the wealthiest Americans “buy politicians and write policies.”
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798291567958048769
Baldwin then said the nation has pushed away unity in favor of individuals looking out for themselves. He also lamented the idea that America is giving “the power to control the masses” to the world’s richest citizens.
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798293021968080896
And that is the reason Baldwin points to for the results of the 2016 presidential election last week.
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798293258426150913
Baldwin later revisited the issue of inequality and ultimately urged Americans to “do better.” He also pledged to empathize with other experiences.
“I want my children to live in a world/country that is better than what we currently live in,” he concluded.
https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/798298334205251584
But some remained puzzled by Baldwin’s dismissal of racism’s impact on the election.
— BreonnaTaylor TonyMcDade GeorgeFloyd David McAtee (@SirCoach) November 15, 2016
We all know in our hearts why people voted for him. We just do not want to accept our racially divisive heritage.
— Jimmie Mclamb (@JimmieKorn) November 14, 2016
Their reactions reflect the sentiments of Whoopi Goldberg, who clashed with fellow The View co-host Jedediah Bila over the racial implications of the election.
Bila pointed to President Barack Obama’s 2008 election as the marker of a post-racial society. However, Goldberg denounced that claim by focusing on the slew of racist hate speech aimed at the commander in chief.
And the onslaught of racist incidents occurring in the days following Trump’s election seem to prove bigotry fueled the president-elect’s selection. They included racist graffiti and a Black baby doll with a noose tied around its neck.
Still, others backed Baldwin’s call for empathy.
https://twitter.com/kolmorton/status/798355373988024320
Appreciate you @DougBaldwinJr
Well said
— Jason McAdoo (@JnuMac) November 15, 2016
