Having issues with the way Donald Trump is conducting himself in the first year of his presidency doesn’t necessarily constitute a “hot take” at this point. The criticism is widespread and well-deserved.
But ESPN feels that its 6:00 p.m. SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill went too far, and poorly represented the company.
On Tuesday, they issued a formal statement regarding the comments Hill made about Trump on Twitter.
He has surrounded himself with white supremacists — no they are not "alt right" — and you want me to believe he isn't a white supremacist?
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
No the media doesn't make it a threat. It IS a threat. He has empowered white supremacists (see: Charlottesville).
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
How is it a "false narrative?" Did he hire and court white supremacists? Answer: YES
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
You just don't want to believe it because it's too unpleasant. But that doesn't change the facts.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
He is unqualified and unfit to be president. He is not a leader. And if he were not white, he never would have been elected
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
The comments came as part of a larger Twitter battle that got a little too heated for ESPN’s taste. For the record, don’t bother checking the comments sections for all of these tweets, they are exactly what you think they’re going to be.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports issued the following statement:
ESPN Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/3kfexjx9zQ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 12, 2017
This amounts to little more than a public slap on the wrist for Hill. It appears that the network at least mostly agrees with her statements, but felt they are a little too political for what is supposed to be a sports network. Hill has not issued an apology for her comments personally, nor should you expect her to do so. Freedom of speech and all that.
While the Michael Jordan axiom “White supremacist watch sports too” forced ESPN to address the issue, if it were really a problem, they’d have fired her.
Hill will be anchoring the six o’clock hour of ESPN as scheduled.
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