Posted on 02/17/2018 6:52:58 PM PST by Kaslin
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham sparked nationwide controversy this week after telling Cleveland Cavaliers star Lebron James and Golden State Warriors role player Kevin Durant to avoid discussing politics and to “shut up and dribble.” Liberals decried the supposedly racist undertones of her comments, but last night the host of The Ingraham Angle refused to to apologize for her remarks saying, “the left and the media attack dogs can dish it out can’t they, but they sure can’t take it.”
On Thursday night, Ingraham aired a video featuring the aforementioned NBA stars and an ESPN host discussing politics and the state of America under President Donald Trump. “King James" harshly criticized the commander in chief, saying, he does not “give a f*ck about the people.”
In response to that clip, Ingraham said, “I’m numb to this commentary. Must they run their mouth like that? A lot of kids and some adults take these ignorant comments seriously. There might be a cautionary lesson in Lebron for kids. This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA. Someone gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball. They’re great players but no one voted for you. Millions elected Trump to be their coach. Keep the political commentary to yourself or as someone once said, shut up and dribble.”
Not surprisingly, liberals accused Ingraham of racism. Others bemoaned Ingraham telling an athlete to remain silent on non-sporting news when she has had numerous non-political guests, such as Tim Tebow, on her show through the years. Lebron James respondedwith the following tweet.
#wewillnotshutupanddribble https://t.co/LyenGRKTUE— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 17, 2018
But yesterday, Ingraham pointed out several problems with these accusations of racism.
on Friday afternoon, she released a statement, saying, “In 2003, I wrote a New York Times bestseller called ‘Shut Up & Sing,’ in which I criticized celebrities like the Dixie Chicks & Barbra Streisand who were trashing then-President George W. Bush. I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off on politics. I’ve told Robert DeNiro to ‘Shut Up & Act,’ Jimmy Kimmel to ‘Shut Up & Make Us Laugh,’ and just this week told the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich to ‘Shut up & Coach.’ If pro athletes and entertainers want to freelance as political pundits, then they should not be surprised when they’re called out for insulting politicians. There was no racial intent in my remarks – false, defamatory charges of racism are a transparent attempt to immunize entertainment and sports elites from scrutiny and criticism. Additionally, we stated on my show that these comments came from an ESPN podcast, which was not the case – the content was unaffiliated with ESPN.”
On last night’s show, Ingraham echoed those remarks and added, "If you want to be a political pundit, you’re coming on my court, okay? Let’s do it. Let’s have a real conversation about black unemployment. Let’s talk about violence in the inner city. Let’s talk about all the issues like school choice. Let’s do it. Don’t think you’re not going to get criticized if all you do is a drive-by hit on Trump and say he’s no leader.”
As Mediaite reports, Ingraham told her audience that she “called those remarks barely intelligible, not to mention ungrammatical… and the left erupted.” She added she was “equal-opportunity critic” and that “Race has nothing to do with it.”
On Twitter she invited Lebron on the show anytime to discuss politics.
Hey King, Come play on my Court next week. You’re invited on the show anytime. https://t.co/CpXRl5jGzQ— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) February 17, 2018
Ingraham also interviewed Niger Ennis and former NFL star Burgess Owens. The segment can be seen below.
Ingraham: My criticism of LeBron had nothing to do with race
LeMOron is an embarrassment to the (n) BA, which has had enough issues on its own
As if black kids didn’t have enough challenges trying to grow up with no family and lousy schools! This is how their role models behave!
Nice going LeBron. You’re a big help. Instead of providing a positive example, just teach em all how to be little thugs and gangstas. You da man!!
That and the fact it is hard to think up anything more witty given the average NBA player’s intellect.
There are athletes like Derek Jeter, and there are athletes like Lebron James. And when they retire and hang up their jerseys, the Jeters are remembered much more fondly than the Lebrons.
Lebron’s first comment about President Trump was dumb, his response to Ingraham was dumber.
MSNBC has interviewed Niger Ennis before
Did they apologize, and offer to get him some fried chicken and watermelon sammiches?
The truth of the matter is that the NBA is no different that the NFL. Just a bunch of Mau Maus who equate “successfully manipulating a ball of one shape or another” with being intelligent. And it pains me the number of dumb white guys who worship these pieces of $hit. You’re better off going to the zoo and visiting the monkey exhibit.
James, Durant, and Pop........the hacks of the NBA.
After the fact
She has no right to tell any US citizen to shut up
yup.
LOL! I doubt it.
Why not?
Is she "Congress"...passing some laws?
“And it pains me the number of dumb white guys who worship these pieces of $hit.”
Larry Bird was a slow white player who couldn’t jump over a dime, but his basketball intelligence allowed him to talk trash the entire game and back it up. The “dumb hick from French Lick” was as great a player as basketball has ever seen and didn’t go around badmouthing politicians. The only trash talk he did was on the court and he didn’t care what color the opponent was.
Because the first Amendment protects that right
She can criticize what is said
Her Previous Shut Up and Sing was also stupid
If she doesn’t like what the Chicks and Streisand said LEAVE
Why stay and listen to them sing
F$ck trump is not racist.... but shut up and dribble is
Lol, why is that????
Young black men should be telling Lebron to shut up, because he is single handedly destroying the majority customer base of the nba. Middle aged white men with money.
Amazingly stupid.
No it doesn't. Did you not read 1A? The Constitution only limits government, not people.
As a fellow citizen, I can tell you to shutup as much as I want....it's free speech, and the government can't tell me not to say it.
Not only that, the schools can't stop prayer or mentions of God, nor can they punish students for expressing opposing (non-PC) points of view.
Who said anything about what is racist and what isn’t
Telling him to dribble implies you will be there to watch
Just like shut up and sing implies you will be in the audience
to listen
Why would you want to watch a creep like him or many of the other NBA low lifes
Oh trust me, I’v long since given up on NBA because of a variety of reasons, heck, I didn’t even need the overt black racism of the NBA to get me to quit watching. I’m in a many year boycott of the Olympics because of decades of political correctness and just pure boring entertainment. The NFL I pretty much quit watching after 2006 or so, but finally a full boycott for the last 2 yrs.
I have tons of time to myself these days doing things outdoors.
I’m absolutely amazed that any white middle class people watch any of this left wing hate whitey stuff.
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