“Fox News apologized Tuesday after receiving a torrent of criticism over the network’s use of photos of various players for the Philadelphia Eagles kneeling in prayer, creating the misleading impression that they were demonstrating during the national anthem.” — CNN
A Fox News segment on the Philadelphia Eagles’ disinvitation to the White House included screen shots of the team’s players supposedly kneeling during the anthem.
The problem is, (a) the photos were actually of players kneeling in prayer before the anthem was played, and (b) as Fox later admitted, no Eagles players “knelt in protest during the national anthem throughout regular or post-season last year.”
Some players of other NFL teams, mostly African-Americans, have taken a knee during the anthem to draw attention to police killings of unarmed (and sometimes innocent) black men. Trump has vociferously attacked the protesters while saying and doing nothing about unjustified police violence against minorities, prompting several Eagles players to skip the White House event.
The White House decided to cancel the traditional event rather than host the thinned roster of Super Bowl champs. Only 1 or 2 players intended to attend, according to Bleacher Report.
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