A freelance writer and adjunct English and journalism professor at Morehouse College triggered threats after he posted a politically charged online article about the differences between the treatment of quarterbacks Tom Brady with his “Make America Great Again” hat and Colin Kaepernick with his taking a knee during the national anthem.
It also calls support of President Donald Trump dangerous.
David Dennis Jr.'s piece is titled "Tom Brady's Politics Are More Un-American Than Colin Kaepernick's Have Ever Been," and got the attention of more than Patriots fans, though he did hear from them.
“It’s interesting that people are saying, how dare I criticize Bradys’ freedom of speech, but I can’t think of bigger threat to my freedom of speech than (someone) saying they are going to come to me with guns at school,” Dennis said.
His essay looked in part at Kaepernick’s response to criticism about his political statements: “The 49ers quarterback has responded thoughtfully, with donations and repeated acknowledgement of the troops’ role in protecting the country. In fact, Kaepernick exercising his right to protest to protect innocent Americans is as patriotic a gesture possible. Kaep’s reward for his actions? Vilification, death threats and accusations of hating America.. . .”
Dennis recounts Brady’s chummy relationship with the new president, says it reeks of “white privilege.” He adds that Trump made disparaging remarks about former POW Senator John McCain, and said that suicides among returning vets happens among those who “can’t handle it.” Dennis continued that Brady’s Trump endorsement has been ignored when, “in fact, supporting Donald Trump as President of The United States is far more threatening to America than taking a knee during the National Anthem.”
The post, which has been up since Jan. 25 on the online site “Medium” was picked up by news sites Breitbart News, formerly run by Trump’s adviser Steve Bannon, Fox News and Huffington Post.
Dennis said that is not his typical reading audience, though with his writings on everything from politics to professional wrestling, he often gets comments, is called a racist or someone who hates America.
Because he is associated with Morehouse, it got a threat.
A statement from Morehouse says an anonymous caller told a school phone operator that he supported Brady and Trump. He said he and his friends lived in Tennessee and would soon be “loading up their guns and coming here for a football game.”
Morehouse College released a statement saying that no work of an individual faculty member necessarily represents Morehouse’s views, but that it supports it’s staff members freedom to express their views.
Morehouse Police Chief Valerie Dalton alerted the Atlanta Police Department and the Office of Homeland Security. The adjunct professor, Dennis, is working with police in their investigation of threats called into the campus and posted online.
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