February 3, 2019

In an interview with CBS's Margaret Brennan, Father Of The Year Donald Trump opined that he would not like his youngest son, Barron, to play football. This would be the interview airing right before the Super Bowl is played, on the same channel as the Super Bowl will be aired, featuring his good buddy, Tom Brady.

When asked why he would rather not, he replied,

I- I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football—I mean, it's a dangerous sport and I think it's- I- it's- really tough, I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better but it hasn't solved the problem. So, you know I- I hate to say it because I love to watch football. I think the NFL is a great product, but I really think that as far as my son- well I've heard NFL players saying they wouldn't let their sons play football. So. It's not totally unique, but I- I would have a hard time with it.

Iiiiiiiinteresting. See, now, when *I* heard he didn't want Barron to play football, I assumed it was because he didn't want his son to be around Black people. To be fair, I was a little surprised that he even remembered Barron's name.

But, no, it's just that he'd rather it be the People of Color be the ones to get the traumatic brain injuries. As this article in The Atlantic illustrates, youth and college football is experiencing white flight as a result of all the information coming out about the dangers of playing. In predominantly white neighborhoods, there are more options for after school activities, and less of a need for football to be the central path to a college education. There is also more income to be able to pay for the variety of activities.

In many predominantly minority neighborhoods, though, youth football programs are still central to providing structure, guidance, and fellowship to the boys in the community and are considered pathways out of their economic status.

Kids in mostly white upper-income communities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West are leaving football for other sports such as lacrosse or baseball. But black kids in lower-income communities without a lot of other sports available are still flocking to football....

These racial divides show up in the football that America watches: Today black athletes make up nearly half of all Division I college-football players, up from 39 percent in 2000. White athletes make up 37 percent, down from 51 percent....

This divergence paints a troubling picture of how economic opportunity—or a lack thereof—governs which boys are incentivized to put their body and brain at risk to play. Depending on where families live, and what other options are available to them, they see either a game that is too violent to consider or one that is necessary and important, if risky.

So, Trump would prefer Barron not play. I'm sure he'd rather his son be by his side while he bashes Colin Kaepernick as un-American for taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest police brutality of Black Americans too.

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