Speaking to the media Monday, senior linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey described the backlash he and his teammates received as a result of kneeling. He knew he would get attention for what he did, but, as he said, “what we didn’t expect, was the enormous amount of hateful, racially motivated comments we received from friends, peers, fans, members of the media and others about the message of protests.”
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Here’s an excerpt from his statement Monday:
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These are actual statements we received from fans.
People assume this is just internet talk, but I can tell you from my own experience, at this very institution, and visiting other college campuses within he past few years that racism is still a problem that must be addressed. I can’t tell you the numerous amount of times I’ve heard the n-word being shouted to my teammates and I by opposing fans behind our bench.
Rose-Ivey’s statement was powerful, and he spoke for more than 12 minutes about his experiences as a young black man in this country and why he wants to use his platform to bring attention to the issues he, and many others face.
“I believe in the promise of America that tells me all men are created equal and have the right of liberty, justice and equality,” Rose-Ivey said. “But, unfortunately, America has not always lived up to those ideals. So in the words of James Baldwin, ‘I love America more than any other country in the world, and exactly for this reason I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.’”
