Jemele Hill fans see right through ESPN's punishment
ESPN has a lot of people saying "something is up" after it suspended SportsCenter host Jemele Hill for two weeks. Specifically, they're calling out the network for kowtowing to the NFL.
The suspension came after Hill sent out a series of tweets beginning on Sunday night responding to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' statement that he would bench any player that knelt during the national anthem.
SEE ALSO: ESPN is now the frontline of the American political-culture war
Hill told fans upset by Jones' position that only withholding your own money from Cowboys' advertisers can affect change. Even though she clarified Monday morning that she wasn't calling for a boycott, she still got suspended.
ESPN said in a statement that the punishment was due to a "second violation of our social media guidelines," referring to that time the host called President Donald Trump a "white supremacist" on Twitter.
But her fans — and haters — were quick to see through ESPN's statements on the matter and call the sports broadcasting giant out on its undying allegiance to powerful (and wealthy) professional sports leagues.
The move reminded many of Bill Simmons, the former ESPN sportscaster and wonder boy who in 2014 was suspended after calling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a liar. Simmons was fired by ESPN a year later and moved on to HBO.
Jemele Hill proving what @BillSimmons taught us: Nothing gets ESPN more nervous than an employee going after the almighty NFL.
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) 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
.@BillSimmons waiting for @jemelehill in the ESPN parking lot like pic.twitter.com/tHv6Q4Ah0d
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) October 9, 2017
Even Trump supporters, who want her fired (echoing the White House) were calling BS.
Hey @ESPN, Jemele Hill calling Trump a white supremacist isn't breaking company rules but boycotting NFL advertisers are? Oh, money, got it.
— Mike (@mike_Zollo) October 10, 2017
IF you think #ESPN or #NFL gives a damn about their fans, you're wrong!
They ONLY care about their Sponsors.
Jemele Hill PROVES that!— Lisa Smith (@lsmith4680) October 9, 2017
Jemele Hill calls @POTUS a supremacist, no suspension. She goes after @NFL revenue, two week suspension. #maga #tcot
— Ned Ryun (@nedryun) October 9, 2017
ESPN's brown-nosing aside, many were quick to call out the double standard Hill faces.
A white POTUS can tweet a meme of him assaulting a woman with a golf ball, but a black woman can't be thoughtful on Twitter about injustice?
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) October 9, 2017
But Jemele spoke truth to power and she's out two weeks? Seems like a warning shot to me. The double standards are staggering y'all.
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) October 9, 2017
Jemele Hill is held to a higher standard for her online behavior than the current President of the United States. Just think about that.
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) October 9, 2017
.@espn wants to profit off of @jemelehill, they want her "diversity" (symbolically) but don't want her commentary & voice as a black woman.
— Nicole G. Van Cleve (@nvancleve) October 9, 2017
So what to do about ESPN's shady motives? Some took Hill's comment that "change happens when advertisers are impacted" to heart.
Until Jemele Hill is back on-air, @ESPN will be off in our house. https://t.co/m3kobKa6mK
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) October 9, 2017
Shame on ESPN for suspending Jemele Hill for exercising her right of freedom of speech. Boycott the channel until she’s back on air.
— Simar (@sahluwal) October 9, 2017
Vikings vs Bears game is tonight on @ESPN-I hope you’ll join me in not watching-Unless you’re ok with Jemele Hill’s suspension. #BoycottESPN
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 9, 2017
WATCH: President Obama's take on the Colin Kaepernick anthem controversy
