Jemele Hill Suspended From ESPN For 2 Weeks After Social Media 'Violation'
Jemele Hill, the ESPN anchor who last month said President Donald Trump was a “white supremacist” unfit to serve in the White House, has been suspended from ESPN for a “second violation of our social media guidelines,” according to a statement the network released Monday.
ESPN's Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/JkVoBVz7lv
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 9, 2017
Hill tweeted Sunday night about the power that could exist if fans were to boycott advertisers associated with the Dallas Cowboys. Hill tweeted after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told players they’d be benched if they didn’t stand during the national anthem.
“Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don’t kneel, some will see them as sellouts,” Hill tweeted.
“Change happens when advertisers are impacted,” she wrote. “If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers.”
Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don't kneel, some will see them as sellouts.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
No. Jerry has turned this into them choosing football over the community they represent and that isn't right. https://t.co/u4MgpnCDAI
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
No, I think the Cowboy fans -- the paying customers -- need to pick up this fight. Don't look to Dez or Dak. YOU do it. https://t.co/f9YjZFgGGt
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Don't ask Dak, Dez & other Cowboys players to protest. A more powerful statement is if you stop watching and buying their merchandise.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
I could say the same for the fans. Same ones asking them to do something will willingly watch the Cowboys next week. https://t.co/3OgNnUMN9C
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
If the players are all standing and doing what they say, that obviously won't be true. The message will be sent. https://t.co/jNmoVZWjQd
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
I agree. But by drawing a line in the sand, Jerry put his players under more scrutiny and threw them under the bus. https://t.co/QRTl8fl6RW
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Cowboys have a huge national following. Lot of black & brown folks are Cowboys fans. What if they turned their backs on them? https://t.co/qezpPwDTAB
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
If the rationale behind JJ's stance is keeping the fanbase happy, make him see that he is underestimated how all of his fanbase feels https://t.co/45ZDibcWNH
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Or, how about not patronizing the advertisers who support the Cowboys? You can watch and do that, right? https://t.co/duPNqxFta7
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
This play always work. Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ's statement, boycott his advertisers. https://t.co/LFXJ9YQe74
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers. Don't place the burden squarely on the players. https://t.co/Gc48kchkuv
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Hill clarified on Monday that she was not calling for an all-out boycott of the NFL.
Just so we're clear: I'm not advocating a NFL boycott. But an unfair burden has been put on players in Dallas & Miami w/ anthem directives.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Jones reportedly told team members to stand on Sunday when the anthem played before their game against the Green Bay Packers. There recently has been significant backlash against players who have taken a knee to protest police brutality.
When asked about Vice President Mike Pence leaving a football game in Indianapolis after many San Francisco players took a knee during the anthem, Jones said, “I know this, we cannot ... in the NFL in any way give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag.”
“We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind that the National Football League and the Dallas Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag,” he said. “So we’re clear.”
Hill said Jones had “put his players under more scrutiny and threw them under the bus.”
“If the rationale behind JJ’s stance is keeping the fanbase happy, make him see that he is underestimated how all of his fanbase feels,” she said.
Dozens of people have spoken out against ESPN suspending Hill, calling the move “cowardly” and “disgusting,” and saying that the network is “on the wrong side of history”:
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
ESPN's suspension of Jemele Hill is an outrage and should NOT go unanswered. ESPN and advertisers will hear from us!
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) October 9, 2017
ESPN will suspend Jemele Hill for being critical about Trump and the NFL but have no problem showing Rex Ryan being critical of Trump & NFL.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 9, 2017
ESPN: What Jemele Hill says about racial injustice is bad
Also ESPN: Let’s partner with Barstool— Ryan Rosenblatt (@RyanRosenblatt) October 9, 2017
Hey @ESPN, suspending Jemele Hill is cowardly and disgusting. You punished a journalist for speaking truth to power? https://t.co/kKocnBiDhQ
— Evette Dionne 🤔 (@freeblackgirl) October 9, 2017
I'm confused, because when Trump said to boycott NFL stuff, it was cool but when Jemele Hill said to do it, it wasn't cool anymore. Weird
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) October 9, 2017
bad move @espn. you're on the wrong side of history. https://t.co/VuKcCa97lR
— Julie Kosin (@juliekosin) October 9, 2017
Now, y’all know that this is because she’s unafraid to talk about the racism in this country. We are with you, @jemelehill. https://t.co/Uh4VnjSBM0
— deray mckesson (@deray) October 9, 2017
Bill Simmons, Jemele Hill, etc.
ESPN's made it abundantly clear that it cares WAY more about the NFL than any of its employees. https://t.co/HMvTHyqhFW— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) October 9, 2017
ESPN did not make the executives who suspended Hill available for comment, Sports Illustrated reporter Richard Deitsch tweeted. The network responded to HuffPost’s request for comment by directing us to its public statement.
Last month, Hill tweeted that Trump “is a white supremacist who has surrounded himself with other white supremacists” and called him “the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime.” She also referred to a violent rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, as an example of how the president empowered white supremacists.
ESPN said at the time that Hill’s statements did “not represent the position” of the network and that it had “addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate.” There was no mention of disciplinary action from that event.
Also on HuffPost
Serena Williams
Donald Glover
As if that wasn’t enough, Glover is also set to portray the role of Lando Calrissian in the upcoming “Star Wars” spinoff, as well as Simba in the forthcoming live-action version of “The Lion King.”
Barry Jenkins
The film also earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director, Picture and Screenplay – making Jenkins the first black director to be recognized in the three categories.
Solange
She won her first Grammy win in February, and is now on the short list of musical siblings with number one albums.
Chance The Rapper
Earlier this month, the 23-year-old made history after the Recording Academy altered its eligibility rules by awarding him the first ever Grammy for a streaming-only album, “Color Book.”
Taraji P. Henson
During a January episode of “The Talk,” Henson said it was: ”my mission to be a part of this film because I didn’t want another girl to ever believe that her brain cannot understand numbers and rocket science. If a boy can do it, you can do it too. A brilliant mind does not have a color or a gender.”
Ibtihaj Muhammad
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
