川普：橄欖球員抗議國歌跟種族無關
U.S. President Donald Trump contended Monday that professional football players' refusal to stand for the country's national anthem has "nothing to do with race," even though many of the athletes themselves said it was meant to protest racism and police brutality against minorities in the United States.
Hundreds of players, coaches and team owners defied Trump on Sunday by sitting, kneeling and locking arms as the "Star Spangled Banner" was played before the start of 14 games, rather than displaying the traditional hand-over-heart support for the flag and country.
In recent days, Trump had called on National Football League owners to fire the players, most of them black, who refused to stand for the playing of the national anthem, a tradition at many professional athletic events in the U.S., and suggested fans boycott the widely popular NFL games, a fixture of fall Sundays in the country.
"The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race," Trump said in a Twitter comment. "It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!"
The U.S. leader added, "Many people booed the players who kneeled yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our Flag!"
Numerous NFL team owners, at least two of whom had contributed $1 million apiece to Trump's inaugural celebration in January, issued statements in support of the players' protest, not Trump's call to fire them, and some linked arms with their players on the field while the anthem was played.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump believes it is important to "support national pride in our country.... I know it's a priority for the president to always defend our flag, always defend the national anthem and certainly to support the men and women in uniform."美國總統川普星期一表示，美國職業橄欖球員奏國歌時拒絕起立“跟種族無關”。此前，很多球員表示，他們這樣做是爲了抗議美國的種族歧視和警察對少數族裔的暴力執法。
在星期天14場橄欖球賽開賽前，數以百計的球員、教練和球隊老闆無視川普的批評，在國歌星條旗永不落奏響時，不是按傳統習慣筆直站立，把手放在胸口，以示對國旗和國家的支持，而是要麼坐着，要麼單膝跪地，相互挽着胳膊。
這些奏國歌時拒絕站立以示抗議的球員大多是黑人。川普近日來要求美國全國橄欖球聯盟 (NFL)的球隊老闆炒這些球員的魷魚，並建議球迷們抵制球賽。
川普在推特上發表評論說：“奏國歌時單膝跪地跟種族無關，而是關乎對我們的國家，對我們的國旗，對我們的國歌的尊重。NFL必須予以尊重。”
川普補充說：“昨天單膝跪地的只是少數人，很多人向他們喝倒彩，這些球迷要的是對國旗的尊重。”
然而，很多NFL球隊老闆都發表聲明支持球員的抗議，不理會川普要炒他們魷魚的呼籲，其中至少有兩個球隊的老闆曾各自向川普一月份的總統就職典禮捐贈了100萬美元。有些球隊老闆還親自下場，跟抗議球員手臂挽着手臂。
白宮女發言人桑德斯說，川普總統相信“支持國家驕傲非常重要。我知道，捍衛國旗，捍衛國歌，當然還有支持我們的軍人，對於總統來說都是重中之重。”
