Eagles

Jesse Jackson is Talking to the Eagles About the National Anthem

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Aug 7th, 2018 · 12:56 PM EDT

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The Reverend Jesse Jackson is in town for the “Progressive National Baptist Church Convention.”

This morning, the civil rights activist apparently took part in the “National Commission for Voter Justice” panel covered by the Inquirer’s Chris Brennan, who dropped this Eagles-related news:

.@RevJJackson just told a @NationalCVJ panel he had to leave early to visit @Eagles training camp to talk with players about "their right to kneel" during the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/GohsGmuP6Q

— Chris Brennan (@ByChrisBrennan) August 7, 2018

Their right to kneel? I’m pretty sure Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Long and Michael Bennett have that covered.

As far as visiting the team, Jackson met with Jeffrey Lurie on Sunday and already spoke with Jenkins and Bennett:

Chatting with #JeffreyLurie @Eagles, owner at the team’s public practice @LFFStadium today. Mr. Lurie welcomed me as special guest at the team practice. I also met briefly with players @mosesbread72 & @MalcolmJenkins. #KeepHopeAlive! pic.twitter.com/rwmIaYaNgp

— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) August 6, 2018

More from today:

 

Okay, so he just wants to have a conversation with them I guess.

Seems a bit redundant to me, since I don’t think they’ve been protesting in an “idle way.” I think it’s been the total opposite of that. They do charity work, put time into the community, help under-served children and families and meet with politicians. Long, Jenkins, and Torrey Smith took a train ride to Harrisburg to speak with legislators less than 12 hours after a Monday Night Football win last October. Seems like they’ve been attacking the issue in a way that is very active and actually accomplishes something. These guys aren’t just offering lip service.

I guess the point is that I’m not sure what Jackson has to offer that the Eagles don’t already know. If anything, the conversation needs to come back around to the actual issues that started the controversy. The whole point of the protests in the first place was to shed light on discrimination and social injustice in America, now it’s just a pissing contest between the league and a contingent of players.

Time’s yours.