Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Speaks On the Trump Election and Feels 'Rage of Betrayal'

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been critical of Donald Trump's racist rhetoric since the beginning of the campaign.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has much to say about Tuesday's election results that have rocked the globe. The NBA legend and one of the sports world's most respected intellectuals wrote an op-ed published in Thursday's Washington Post about the hopelessness he felt at the prospect of a Trump presidency.

As a black Muslim-American, Abdul-Jabbar discussed the "rage of betrayal" that he feels from election results that seem to roll back the progression for people of color in America. He even stated that the country will find it difficult to transition as our society "embraces the leadership of a racist."

"Yes, we’re all supposed to come together after an election, let bygones be bygones, and march forward unified as neither Democrats nor Republicans but patriotic Americans celebrating the triumph of the democratic process. But it’s difficult to link arms when the home of the free embraces the leadership of a racist.

Abdul-Jabbar has been very critical of Trump's presidential campaign. In September, he penned another anti-Trump op-ed for the Washington Post titled "This Is The Difference Between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders." Trump responded with a handwritten message scribbled over a copy of the op-ed, and sent it directly to Abdul-Jabbar soon after it was published.

Kareem-

In July, Abdul-Jabbar spoke in support for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention, and also made a scathing remark about Trump in his speech at the event.

Latest in Sports