Smith-Pelly, who is black and Canadian, was the first to say he would not want to be part of a White House ceremony because “the things that [Trump] spews are straight-up racist and sexist,” he told Canada’s Postmedia. Connolly joined Smith-Pelly last year in saying he would skip a White House visit, and he stood by that decision when asked Tuesday night, referencing his support for Smith-Pelly. Trump canceled the 2018 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ visit to the White House after some players said they would skip the ceremony to protest the president and his rhetoric. When the Golden State Warriors won the 2017 NBA championship, multiple players, including superstar guard Stephen Curry, said they were not in favor of a visit to the White House. The Warriors won another title last year and, rather than visit the White House during their trip to Washington in late January, they met with former president Barack Obama.

Source: Washington Post March 22, 2019 16:20 UTC