A Patriots player who is boycotting Trump went on an absolutely incredible tweetstorm about it

By Isha Aran  |  February 8, 2017 | 5:26pm
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As we all know, Donald Trump’s favored team, the Patriots, won the Super Bowl. Every year the winners of the Super Bowl head to the White House for a photo op with the president. This year, though, two Patriots players are refusing to attend for political reasons. Can you guess what those might be?

Tight end Martellus Bennett made headlines on Sunday night after stating he would not be going to the White House. The next day, safety Devin McCourty announced that he was also opting out, saying he didn’t feel “accepted” under Trump’s roof.

Last night, Bennett, who openly supported Hillary Clinton, joined Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest, and responded to Trump’s immigration ban by tweeting, “America was built on inclusiveness not exclusiveness”—so, you know, we might have seen this coming— explained more about his refusal to attend the White House. Short answer: he’s #Woke. Literally, that’s what he said.

Long answer:

Bennett, who has written a children’s book of his own, went on:

I have two libraries in my house thousands of books. I love to read because I know that for a long time ancestors weren’t allowed to. I love to write. Because for a lonnnnnngg time my people weren’t “allowed” to. So I’m going to write my books, my apps and tell my stories…I’m going to speak my mind because guess what… that’s right for a looonngg time my ancestors didn’t have a voice.

He also tweeted about the importance of looking beyond stereotypes, breaking out of the cycle of sports, and his dedication to using his fame and success to help other people:

(HUFFLEPUFF BEAST!!!)

He also went onto discuss the importance of giving children—particularly children of color—opportunities outside of sports, saying that he is working to build art centers and computer labs rather than building football fields or doing football camps:

Your favorite athlete stands on his platform to be seen. I stand on my platform to shout. To be heard. They can’t steal your joy when it comes from above. I’m over the low hanging fruit. I’m at the top of the tree tossing down the really good fruit.

On Wednesday morning he resumed the conversation on Twitter, saying:

I appreciate all of the love. I honestly just want people to look at black kids and not say he’s the next Michael Jordan all the damn time…I want them to be able to look into the crowd and say oh he’s the next President. She’s gonna be the next Spielberg. He’s like Steve Jobs…There’s nothing wrong with being an athlete but just know that you can be so much more.

Clearly Bennett is woke as all hell.

 
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