Members of the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm walked off the basketball court during the national anthem. They should not have been permitted back in the arena.
The WNBA said the female athletes pitched a hissy fit and disrespected America as a “peaceful protest.”
The players held a 26-second moment of silence for Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old black woman who was killed at her home by Louisville police.
“We are dedicating this season to Breonna Taylor, an outstanding EMT who was murdered over 130 days ago in her home,” Liberty player Layshia Clarendon announced before tip-off. “Breonna Taylor was dedicated and committed to uplifting everyone around here.”
Among those who denounced the squawking magpies on the basketball court was Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), who is also co-owns the Atlanta Dream.
“This isn’t unifying Americans,” the Georgia senator said. “Shameful.”
“It’s a political stunt that disrespects every man, woman and child who has given their life for this country,” she wrote on Twitter. “The WNBA has fully embraced the BLM political movement and turned its back on the American flag.”
And now every freedom-loving American should turn their backs on the WNBA.
As the national anthem was played, the @nyliberty and @seattlestorm walked off the floor as part of the social justice initiative. pic.twitter.com/VihH5X3Yzh
— ESPN (@espn) July 25, 2020
Shameful. This isn’t unifying Americans. It’s a political stunt that disrespects every man, woman & child who has given their life for this country.
The WNBA has fully embraced the BLM political movement & turned its back on the American flag. That’s not sports-that’s politics. https://t.co/HftIxFdZMi
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) July 25, 2020
