Jemele Hill’s statements against Trump justified

Belen Sassone/ Contributing Writer

ESPN reporter Jemele Hill recently became the subject of controversy after sending out a series of tweets expressing her sentiments over the president’s rise and recent behaviors towards white supremacist groups.

The first tweet, posted on Monday, Sept. 11, said: “Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists…” While it is a loaded statement, when you really read it and begin to dissect it, Hill is not being irrational in her allegations.

Although Trump’s apologetic language when asked about the violence in Charlottesville and years of racist comments may seem like a dead giveaway, we can’t fully conclude that he is a white supremacist.

However, when it comes to Hill’s second claim, it’s undeniable that a number of people who Trump speaks highly of and works with are allied to white supremacist groups.

While Hill spoke as an individual and did not bring her employer into the discussion, ESPN’s PR team released a statement distancing the organization from her comments by claiming that they, “do not represent the position of ESPN.”

The incident didn’t receive too much attention until Sarah Sanders was asked about it during the White House press briefing two days later. Her response to a reporter asking if the president was aware of the tweet was, “I’m not sure he’s aware, but I think that’s one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make and certainly something I think is a fireable offense by ESPN.”

Sanders’ comment raises red flags when you consider that free speech is fully protected under law and ESPN would have no basis for firing Hill for exercising her rights. As a result, the Democratic Coalition filed an ethics complaint against Sanders. However, no actions have been taken against her and she continues to insist that Hill is the only one in the wrong.

In what appeared to be an attempt to kick it up a notch, the White House also allowed Trump to tweet, “ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!”

Associate professor for the School of Journalism, Lorna Veraldi believes that although everyone is entitled to express their opinions. “The White House and the two people who have served as spokespeople have been very hostile towards the press,” Veraldi said.

She also feels that a free press is important and that the White House is showing distrust when they call news outlets things such as “fake news.”

About a month prior to the incident, Hill took part in a panel for Sports Illustrated centered around whether or not sports media members should be able to publicly discuss their political opinions.

During the panel, she said, “I know there are sports fans looking for me to provide them with an ‘escape,’ but as a woman and person of color, I have no escape from the fact that there are people in charge who seem to be either sickened by my existence or are intent on erasing my dignity in every possible way. So today, my feed is probably a little edgier than it was. It’s reflective of all the emotion and conflict I feel. I think others feel the same way.”

When you take these words into consideration, the entire incident comes at no surprise. Those who feel strongly about something that impacts themselves and others, should not have to censor themselves in fear of losing their job.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

 

Photo taken from Flickr.