Jeremy Lin Speaks Out Against Trump Travel Ban, Level Of Activism On Rise
Jeremy Lin is no fan of new President Donald Trump’s travel ban prohibiting people from seven primarily Muslim countries from entering the U.S.
The only American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent in NBA history recently took to Twitter to voice his disapproval.
“As an American, sorry to everyone affected by the #MuslinBan,” Lin wrote. “This is foreal gettin out of control #team ACLU.”
Days earlier, Lin marked the holiday celebration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King by posting, “Appreciating what MLK did more today than ever #lovenothate.”
Having returned to the big stage of New York City on a three-year, $36 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, more and more the 28-year veteran guard has sought to express his views in the arena of social justice.
Back in July of 2016, Lin was among the first well-known celebrities to publicly comment on the police shooting death of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Video of the shooting posted across social media showed Sterling was pinned to the ground by two white officers when he was fatally shot multiple times, leading to widespread protest across the nation.
“Foreal though wth?!? The #AltonSterling video makes me sick…its gettin out of control!! #blacklivesmatter #thisworldneedsprayer,” he posted.
Later, Lin reflected that the Sterling shooting came almost exactly two years after Eric Garner was killed in an incident in New York that broke out after officers accosted him for selling of loose cigarettes.
That also captured on video episode largely ushered in the Black Lives Matter movement that continues to sweep the country by calling attention to the systemic problems many particularly young black men encounter in their everyday dealings with police.
Over time, Lin was among a collection of NBA players, and the only non-black one, who wore “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts during warmups — the last words Garner is reported to have uttered while being held down by cops.
More recently, Lin reflected, “I’m not black, obviously, but I can relate with a minority. And then I can also relate and understand how important it is to have a functional police and justice system in place to protect us and protect our country. I see like what’s going on both ends, and it’s like, I’d be scared to be a cop, I’d be scared to be a civilian, I’d be scared to be anybody right now, and that’s just not the way that this country is supposed to be. The whole responding-to-violence-with-violence is one of the worst things that I can think of ’cause it’s just like it just gets crazier and crazier.”
And speaking of crazy, Lin’s first season in New York since the 2012 days of “Linsanity” with the cross-borough rival Knicks has been just that.
Through early February, he’s played in just 12 games, as a litany of hamstring injuries have kept him sidelined. After recently suffering a setback while rehabbing from his latest ailment, word is Lin has finally resumed shooting drills and could be back within the next couple of weeks.
Lin took the floor to get up shots prior to the team’s recent faceoff against Indiana, the first true sign his return could come sooner rather than later to manifest in weeks. Coach Kenny Atkinson later revealed he and his star point guard had a “good talk” before the Pacers’ game, suggesting the two are now on the same page about things.
Asked if Lin is scheduled for a reassessment, Atkinson said, “I’m not sure, to be quite honest,” Atkinson said of all the rumors about Lin soon be reevaluated by team brass.
“When the update happens is when I get the thing. When we know something definitive, we’ll let you know.”
[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]
