Seattle activists are calling for the NFL to put its money in black-owned banks following a big GOP donation by the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Times reports.
Seattle Seahawks and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen donated $100,000 to the Republican Party ahead of the November elections. During the contentious 2017-18 election cycle, Allen has donated $173,000 to Republican congressional candidates and $45,900 to Democratic candidates.
After learning of the donation, many black Seattle activists said enough was enough.
One of those calling for change is Eddie Rye, Jr., community activist and father of Angela Rye, who joined other activists on Monday demanding the NFL withdraw some of the money it keeps in white-owned banks and deposit it in black-owned banks.
“I have been out here protesting the economic injustices that have occurred in professional sports, and to add insult to injury the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers, Paul Allen, donated $100,000 to the Republican Party so they can maintain control of the House of Representatives,” Rye said, according to the Seattle Medium. “So, what that really says to the black players is Paul Allen is taking away or supporting people who are taking away your voting rights and your civil rights."
Rye also argued the NFL has a duty to bank with black business owners given the amount of money generated by the league's black players.
“ESPN, CBS, were biding over $1 billion to have the broadcast right of NFL games," Rye said. "So out of all the money being generated and the NFL being 70 percent black, none of that money is coming back to the black community.”
Rye and his fellow activists were joined in their demands by several former NFL players.
“The only way the black community is going to succeed is through economic empowerment,” said 14-year NFL veteran James Hastings. “I think the only thing that we really stand to gain or to grab anyone’s attention, is going to be through the almighty dollar. Being the number one consumers, as we often are in the African American community, we must protest financially.”
Allen's spokesman, John Pinette, pointed out Allen has donated to both political parties in an emailed statement. “Paul Allen has supported both Republicans and Democrats over the years, and he will continue to support candidates on both sides of the aisle,” Pinette said.
The NFL has not responded to the calls for banking black.
Colin Kaepernick, who has had quite the complicated and frustrating relationship with the professional football league ever since starting his national anthem protest, had a meeting scheduled with the Seahawks that was postponed after he refused to stop kneeling.
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