An Ohio High School football player, Rodney Axson, chose to not stand recently during the playing of the National Anthem after he overheard comments from his fellow teammates that they would use the word “N*gger” against the other squad, not realizing Rodney was in the locker room listening to the entire conversation.
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“I don’t feel safe letting my son go out in the community hang out with his friends a lot of things have changed”, said Rodney Axon Sr. This incident prompted him to take a stand.
Axson made a decision to take a knee during the National Anthem at the start of the game, only to face more racist comments in the aftermath of his protest.
Axson faced intense backlash after his protest and said teammates directed the “n-word” at him several times. Axson disagreed, telling them “I do feel it was meant for me because I am an African-American”.
Black activist Shaun King detailed three cases in which young black athletes were threatened for joining the growing protest against the national anthem.
“Another kid said it before the National Anthem”.
Afterward, he received hate from racist trolls as well as his own white teammates who allegedly called him the “N-word” to his face while they were playing.
Te’Ron Brown of West Orange-Stark High School in Texas is another young, black athlete who became the target of a racist social media post shared by two members of an opposing team.
Calls were not returned to Fox 8 regarding what type of disciplinary action was taken and how many students were involved.
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Brunswick schools are investigating the allegations, Superintendent Michael Mayell said in a statement. “As such, we will not comment further until such time as we have a reasonable grasp on all the facts”. However, let me say that a statement which has circulated on social media connected with this investigation is reprehensible and I am deeply disappointed that any of our students would participate in its publication. This is a statement I have never even conceived that I might need to release. There was also a handwritten note left for Axson about lynching, according to King. I am saddened to have to do so’.
