Appearing as a guest on Tuesday's New Day on CNN to defend NFL player Colin Kaepernick's refusal to stand for the National Anthem, comedian and former CNN host D.L. Hughley griped about veterans and white athletes who have criticized Kaepernick but have not condemned "brutality" against black Americans, and charged that their "protest" is a protest "in agreement of" violence. Hughley: "When will a white NFL player say something about police brutality? Ever? We've stood with veterans. When will they say something about police brutality? They won't. These things exist because America is silent, much like Kaepernick's protest. His protest is to protest violence; theirs is in agreement of it."
After CNN host Chris Cuomo began by asking if the NFL player chose the "right way" to protest, Hughley began by complaining that "America is silent" about blacks being "mistreated." Hughley: "Well, I think it's ironic because Kaepernick is being silent to protest the treatment of people of color in this country, and America is being silent while people are being mistreated, so there is nothing more American than silence." He soon added: "You'll see people come out and say -- they'll say that they are opposed to what Kaepernick is doing. None of those people will come out and say anything when people are being brutalized. Not one thing."
The former CNN host then asserted that standing for the National Anthem is a "distraction" in which people "pretend like we're all together." Hughley: "Standing for the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem is a distraction. We get to pretend like we're all together, and often times we live in two different Americas."
After praising Kaepernick as "brave," he charged: "People don't like what he's saying because they know it's inherently true. Colin Kaepernick is saying what a lot of people can't."
He ended up indicting veterans and white athletes who have spoken out against Kaepernick as he concluded:
A lot of athletes have come out in opposition to what Kaepernick did. Not one of them ever comes out and -- not many of them say anything. When will a white NFL player say something about police brutality? Ever? We've stood with veterans. When will they say something about police brutality? They won't. These things exist because America is silent, much like Kaepernick's protest. His protest is to protest violence; theirs is in agreement of it.
The liberal comedian has a history of inflammatory rhetoric against Republicans, as he appeared on CNN in September 2008 and likened the Republican National Convention to Nazis. The next month, the comedian began hosting his own show on CNN called D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, which ran on the news networks for several months.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Tuesday, August 30, New Day on CNN:
8:49 a.m. ET
CHRIS CUOMO: Nobody is saying that Kaepernick does not have the right to make this statement. It's whether he did it in the right way.
D.L. HUGHLEY, COMEDIAN AND FORMER CNN HOST: Well, I think it's ironic because Kaepernick is being silent to protest the treatment of people of color in this country, and America is being silent while people are being mistreated, so there is nothing more American than silence. And I think ultimately, the question has never been how black people feel about America. It has and always will be about how America feels about us. Just like the things that we see that are insulting, like you'll see people come out and say -- they'll say that they are opposed to what Kaepernick is doing. None of those people will come out and say anything when people are being brutalized. Not one thing.
And I think that ultimately, football is an escape, and black people often times don't get an escape from reality. Reality confronts us all the time. There's no Sunday off where we get to pretend like things aren't the same. Standing for the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem is a distraction. We get to pretend like we're all together, and often times we live in two different Americas.
(...)
I think that what he's doing is brave, and I think that what he's doing is necessary. I think that he's a mirror. I think that people are seeing things they don't like. They want him to shut up and play. His contract -- he's paid for his athleticism. He's paid for his ability to throw the ball. He's not paid for his silence. He can say what he wants to say, and I think what he's saying is resonating. People don't like what he's saying because they know it's inherently true. Colin Kaepernick is saying what a lot of people can't.
(...)
People are saying -- a lot of athletes have come out in opposition to what Kaepernick did. Not one of them ever comes out and -- not many of them say anything. When will a white NFL player say something about police brutality? Ever? We've stood with veterans. When will they say something about police brutality? They won't. These things exist because America is silent, much like Kaepernick's protest. His protest is to protest violence; theirs is in agreement of it.
