WILL HOST MUSICAL “CELEBRATION” INSTEAD
by Sharon Rondeau
(Jun. 4, 2018) — On Tuesday this year’s Super Bowl winning team, the Philadelphia Eagles, was scheduled to visit the White House, as has been the custom for many years.
In a formal statement on Monday evening, President Trump announced that the team “are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow” and that the engagement was canceled in favor of “a different type of ceremony” consisting of the U.S. Marine Band and U.S. Army Chorus.
Just after the team’s victory over the New England Patriots in early February, three Eagles players had said they would not make the trip to the White House if invited.
Beginning in 2016 with then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, NFL players began protesting during the customary playing of the national anthem at the opening of each game. Some of the players claimed that their protest was based on “oppression,” “racial injustice” and “gender slander,” among other alleged transgressions on the part of society.
Protests included “taking a knee” or raising a fist in the air.
On May 24, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a policy change mandating that all players stand when the national anthem is played or alternatively, remain in the locker room until after the music concludes.
Relatively early in the 2016-2017 season, Sporting News reported that a Rasmussen poll showed that “nearly one-third of adults” responded that they were “less likely” to watch NFL football as a result of the protests.
Last July, CBS Sports reported that 26% of sports-events attendees responded to a JD Power survey that they were not watching NFL games, with the protests topping a list of reasons for “tuning out.”
On January 3, Sports Illustrated reported that “There is no sugarcoating the news for the National Football League when it comes to viewership: The numbers are heading in the wrong direction—and quickly.”
Trump has often opined that NFL players should stand for the national anthem.
According to WHOTV on Monday night, “Players on the Eagles are some of the most outspoken social justice activists in the NFL, and multiple players took part in the protests during the anthem over the last two seasons. Many players from the team were not planning on attending the ceremony as a protest of Trump, his policies and his outspoken criticism of players who chose to kneel during the anthem.”
The catalyst for Trump’s disinvitation to the Eagles, WGN9 of Chicago reported, was unknown as of Monday evening other than that the full team did not plan to attend. Neither the White House nor the Eagles responded to the station’s requests for comment.
“They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country,” Trump’s statement read, in part.
The Chicago outlet also accused Trump of “digging deeper into a culture war that he’s repeatedly stoked” by calling off the engagement.
Approximately three hours before Trump cancelled the invitation, 247Sports reported:
The Philadelphia Eagles will visit the White House on Tuesday, June 5, as part of the team being honored for their Super Bowl championship. Via a press release sent by the White House to the Eagles, the Eagles will have their gathering at the South Lawn at the White House.
Philadelphia players took a vote last week on the White House invite and the voting results indicated the Eagles will attend the celebration.
What’s significant of this White House visit is the number of Eagles that may (or may not) attend in the wake of President Trump’s comments regarding NFL players last year. Trump said team owners should fire players for taking a knee during the national anthem, explaining that if fans would “leave the stadium” when players kneel that “things would stop.” (via CNN)
In response to Trump’s move, Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA13) invited the Eagles to the U.S. Capitol.
The 3:00 p.m. “celebration” on Tuesday does not appear on the U.S. Marine Band’s schedule as of this writing. Information on the U.S. Army Chorus is here.
Update, 10:59 p.m. EDT: Several minutes ago, Trump tweeted an explanation for the cancellation:
Who cares about these overpaid nitwits. All they do is run into each other and get more brain damage. I am glad they did not dirty the White House and our great President Trump.
He made a great decision!
I’m just glad that most Police Departments have installed the new audible device on most cop cars.
When the bad guys try to run, the new audible device doesn’t play a siren, it plays the National Anthem…then the bad guys take a knee rather than run.
BRAVO President Trump!