Photo Credit: Facebook
Let me be the first to make very clear that I have been against, am against and will continue to be against the NFL national anthem protests.
But I am not opposed to players celebrating in a locker room just because someone photoshopped the original photograph of the celebration into a hateful and divisive photo.
Here are few ways to tell that the image with Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks holding a burning American flag with his team cheering him on his photoshopped.
- In the photoshopped image, Bennett’s fingers are cut off. First off, these are the Seahawks, not the New York Giants. If this were Jason Pierre-Paul, we might be onto something…until point #2. However, we’re not, so let’s just get onto #2.
- Who burns an American flag indoors to begin with, much less in an NFL locker room in an NFL stadium? Short answer: nobody.
- The Seahawks’ most recent win came in Week 2 before President Donald Trump made his comments that sparked more NFL players than ever to participate in national anthem protests.
- Based on point #3, even if every single player on the Seahawks hates Trump, why would they randomly be burning an American flag before he made his comments about the national anthem protesters?
- Also based on point #3, the Seahawks would have had no reason to celebrate in the lone game they have played so far following Trump’s comments, as they lost 33-27 to the Tennessee Titans.
Here is the original non-photoshopped image.
-Asher Fair