Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Demands Congress Take Action On Trump Tweets
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has joined the voices condemning a flurry of tweets from President Donald Trump, targeting four Democratic congresswomen.
On Sunday morning, Trump took to Twitter suggesting that freshmen lawmakers Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."
The president failed to note that three of the representatives were born in the United States and the other is a naturalized citizen. All four are women of color.
Critics have slammed the tweets, calling them racist and xenophobic.
Kerr took to social media and demanded that congressional leaders condemn the remarks.
"Come on members of Congress, call out the president for his racist tweets this morning. Show some leadership. It's the job you were elected to do."
Kerr also retweeted several others including Dan Rather.
This president's cruelty is matched by the cowardice of his enablers, who inflict just as much damage on this nation and its ideals. Men and women in elected office shouldn't get a presumption of normalcy. They must answer for their silence in the face of bigotry and misogyny.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) July 14, 2019
While many in the sports world shy away from politics, Kerr has embraced it.
Away from the court, the Warriors coach has taken part in Bay Area town halls and fronted a "Get Out The Vote' video on Facebook. On election day last November, Kerr authored a piece on Sports Illustrated's website to voice his thoughts about the importance of election day.
"Last month, after one of our first training camp practices, we had Rock the Vote come in and talk to our team and staff," said Kerr in a piece co-authored by Chris Ballard. "The group was great. Afterward, seven of our players, two of our assistant coaches, and a dozen staff members registered on the spot. No one asked their political affiliation, or whom they were voting for. That wasn't the point."
For personal reasons, Kerr wrote that gun control laws and the lack of them in the United States are of particular importance.
"Among the many issues that matter to me, one stands out in particular: gun safety. I lost my father to gun violence, and I'm disheartened and disgusted by the ceaseless cycle of mass shootings."
Kerr backed a plan voiced by his players to boycott a visit with Trump in White House after winning the NBA title in 2018. Trump withdrew the invitation before the team could actually vote on the boycott.
His public viewpoints have not come without a price.
"Of course, not everyone's supportive," he told Ballard. "When we played in Utah earlier this season, a heckler kept yelling, "What about gun control Kerr?" during the game (It was weird more than anything; what did that even mean?). And I purposely don't read the responses to my Twitter feed. But that's okay."