The director of the Michigan State Police shared a meme only to become one.
Colonel Kriste Etue posted a popular Breitbart News Facebook page post on her personal Facebook page in late September that called the NFL national anthem kneelers “anti-American degenerates.” In response on Thursday, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who called the post “innapropriate,” docked her five days’ pay.
After the Breitbart News Facebook page posted the message on September 24, the Huffington Post noted that conservative news site had “published the top post on the social network by any major American publisher” that weekend. It boasted a greater reach than any such post in the news site’s history. The simple white text on a black background generated more than 250,000 likes, 18,000 comments, and 600,000 shares. Colonel Etue reposted the meme the day it went live.
Those defending the right of NFL players to express themselves on the job showed little tolerance for the top cop offering her opinion on her own time.
Kenneth Reed of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality called the punishment meted out by the Republican governor “not good enough.” He wants Etue fired.