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White Football Fans Lose It After Broncos’ Brandon Marshall Takes a Knee

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)
Brandon Marshall kneels during the national anthem at the NFL Kickoff game Thursday night

Brandon Marshall kneels during the national anthem at the NFL Kickoff game Thursday night

Denver Broncos player Brandon Marshall kneeled in protest of the national anthem Thursday night, making white NFL fans livid. The linebacker joined the demonstration begun by Colin Kaepernick last month.

In a post-game interview with NBC Sports, Marshall explained he saw it as a chance to spotlight discrimination.

“I’m not against the military,” he said after defeating the Carolina Panthers 21-20. “I’m not against the police or America. I’m against social injustice.”

In reaction to Marshall’s protest, many white football aficionados tore into him on Twitter.

A user by the name #yallmakemelaugh called the athlete a “stupid f—— n—–” before demanding him to stand up.

https://twitter.com/MUT_Coins_xbox1/status/774044273482276865

@FergSays told the Broncos to cut “that disrespectful, over-paid n—–.” The hashtag #FreeTicketToAfrica capped off the insult.

https://twitter.com/FergSays/status/774044978825662464

Meanwhile, Steve Abshagen pointed to Black-on-Black crime as the real issue.

https://twitter.com/RRShaggy/status/774046699287261185

Chris Beattie deemed Marshall a “thug” and told him to live in war-torn Syria “if you don’t like it here!”

@911GlockDoc also thought of the linebacker as a “thug” and “classless.”

David called out Marshall’s millionaire status, sarcastically writing “well done.”

https://twitter.com/forestparkdavid/status/774049024991043584

@socalcountry08 also aimed at Marshall’s earnings and decided his protest meant he “has no respect for the chances he’s been given.”

https://twitter.com/socalcountry08/status/774049004657049600

KaaschMoney demanded the NFL star shouldn’t “stoop to” Kaepernick’s level and Marshall should “respect the country you’re free in.”

https://twitter.com/KaaschMoney/status/774048937430753280

Black fans responded to the messages.

Karim Walker reveled in “racist losers” losing it over Marshall’s protest.

And Mujtaba Elgoodah pointed out an irony in the hateful reactions.

Marshall is the latest NFLer to join the protest of the national anthem. Several other athletes have taken a knee to make a statement about the racial injustice African-Americans face.

Atlanta Black Star reported Kaepernick’s 49ers teammate Eric Reid wanted to participate and urged the star to kneel rather than sit in protest. The Seattle Seahawks hinted at a team-wide sit-out of the U.S. song, too. And Eagles’ rookie Myke Tavarres also considered joining the movement before backing out.

The action also extends past the NFL.

Three Black West Virginia Tech University volleyball players kneeled during the “Star Spangled Banner” Wednesday. And white soccer player Megan Rapinoe took a knee ahead of her Sept. 4 match.

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