Listen Live
Stone Soul Vendor Graphics
99.3-105.7 Kiss FM
CLOSE

Patriots defensive end Chris Long will join Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower as they opt out of a day at the Trump White House for a congratulatory Super Bowl visit.

Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots v Atlanta Falcons

Source: Patrick Smith / Getty

Long is the first White member of the team to decline the invitation.

In the past, he’s also been an outspoken ally of Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem protest and used Twitter to call out the public health catastrophe in Flint, Michigan. His non-profit foundation, WaterBoys, provides clean water access to communities in Africa. For all intents and purposes, he seems pretty woke.

But the newly minted champion was called out in a column by New York Daily News writer, Chuck Modiano, who argued Long should clearly define his decision to forgo the White House event and denounce Trump and his divisive policies.

“You are receiving this open letter with the hope that you will publicly refuse to visit Donald Trump’s White House and show solidarity with your teammates Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower — all of whom will sit the visit out,” Modiano wrote.

Long was silent on the matter until he tweeted this regarding Modiano’s article:

Oh. Long’s annoyance seems to stem from the fact that Modiano summarized his words, instead of what the writer proposed.

Black people will continue to fight White supremacy at every turn; this will be an ongoing battle. But the effort is less fruitful if visible allies with a platform censure themselves.

Bennett, McCourty and Hightower join the growing list of athletes who spoke specifically to an administration focused on exclusion and Long, with his above mentioned history, should join this movement.

Whether Long never planned to attend the event, the decision to remain silent regarding your intentions speaks volumes––much like Tom Brady’s glaring absence at the same event during Obama’s tenure.

SOURCE: New York Daily News 

SEE ALSO:

‘Nah.’ New England Patriot Martellus Bennett Says No To Trump White House Visit

Airbnb Releases #WeAccept Super Bowl Ad After Racism Claims

Should Chris Long Get An Invitation To The Cookout?  was originally published on newsone.com