Amid nationwide protests and riots, things have gotten a bit out of control. The National Guard has been deployed in several states, resulting in raised tensions, destroyed properties, and a divided country. Many people all over the globe have spoken up with their thoughts on the crisis with one of the most recent being Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“The thing that strikes me is that we all see this police violence and racism, and we’ve seen it all before, but nothing changes. That’s why these protests have been so explosive. But without leadership and an understanding of what the problem is, there will never be change. And white Americans have avoided reckoning with this problem forever, because it’s been our privilege to be able to avoid it. That also has to change.”
“It’s unbelievable. If Trump had a brain, even if it was 99 percent cynical, he would come out and say something to unify people. But he doesn’t care about bringing people together. Even now. That’s how deranged he is. It’s all about him. It’s all about what benefits him personally. It’s never about the greater good. And that’s all he’s ever been.”
To Pop, the entire system has to change — not just Trump.
“It’s so what needs to be done. We need a president to come out and say simply that ‘black lives matter.’ Just say those three words. But he won’t and he can’t. He can’t because it’s more important to him to mollify the small group of followers who validate his insanity. But it’s more than just Trump. The system has to change. I’ll do whatever I can do to help, because that’s what leaders do. But he can’t do anything to put us on a positive path, because he’s not a leader.”
“He’s not just divisive. He’s a destroyer. To be in his presence makes you die. He will eat you alive for his own purposes. I’m appalled that we have a leader who can’t say ‘black lives matter.’ That’s why he hides in the White House basement. He is a coward. He creates a situation and runs away like a grade-schooler. Actually, I think it’s best to ignore him. There is nothing he can do to make this better because of who he is: a deranged idiot.”
Coach Pop did not mince words and it’s not the first time he’s spoken out against the President. Back in October, he went so far as to call Trump “impotent and cowardly.”
“All I did was make a comparison between Adam Silver’s show of principle and courage in a tough situation, as opposed to how our president reacts in the company of authoritarian figures,” Popovich said, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio-Express News. “Whether it’s Saudi Arabia or North Korea or Russia or Turkey, or whatever it is, he comes off as pretty feckless, impotent, and cowardly by comparison.”
Not everyone agrees with Popovich here. In fact, many criticize him for being so outspoken about the President. But he isn’t backing down and, quite frankly, probably doesn’t care anyway.
