Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is still the subject of scorn and ridicule after he voiced his opposition to NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem. Prescott angered liberals when he said protesting the National Anthem was disrespectful.
“I never protest during the anthem. I don’t think that’s the time or the venue to do so,” Prescott told reporters when asked about the protest controversy last month.
“The game of football has always brought me such a peace,” he added. “Anytime you bring such a controversy to the stadium, to the field, to the game, it takes away. It takes away from that. It takes away from the joy and the love that football brings a lot of people.”
Prescott suggested that kneeling to “raise awareness” about social injustice was pointless since society is already aware that injustice exists. He called on protesters to take the “next step” that leads to action.
“I think we’ve proved and we know about the social injustice. I’m up for taking the next step, whatever that step may be for action,” he said.
Graffiti artist Trey Wilder created a mural depicting Prescott in the “sunken place”, a term coined by film producer Jordan Peele in his Academy award-winning movie “Get Out”.
The sunken place is supposed to symbolize systemic oppression and racism in America.
The mural is located in the Trinity Groves area of Dallas near an intersection of Interstate 30 and Interstate 35, according to the Star-Telegram.
Wilder said he hopes his mural influences Prescott to change his mind.
“Honestly, I know he’s a superstar, but I’m not scared of Dak Prescott,” Wilder told the Star-Telegram. “But like in the movie, maybe [the mural] will be a flash for him. I think, with that platform, it was just weird how he dismissed the whole situation, especially being a black man himself.”
Prescott responded to the wave of criticism directed at him on social media.
“I said what I said,” he told the the Star-Telegram.
“You get on social media, you see it. It doesn’t bother me. I said what I said. You have an opinion. Everyone else has an opinion,” he said. “They are entitled to it as well. I accepted what they said and respect it. They should respect mine.”
Photos by Trey Wilder, Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
