Outspoken Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has been among the NFL's leading voices behind the protest movement to end racial injustice in the United States.
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During the contentious months leading to the 2016 presidential election, numerous professional athletes opted to protest during the national anthem. Many critics interpreted this as disrespectful to the country's armed servicemen and police officers.
Jenkins repeatedly rejected that viewpoint and took some time to discuss the complexity of the issues involved, specifically those related to the country's criminal justice system and the careless use of racial insults.
“I think that’s where the message is lost," Jenkins told PhillyVoice in September. "I have great respect for the police and military, and I respect what they do."
In one case, a student at Belmont University in Tennessee was kicked out of school after sharing racist remarks about Eagles players following their protest on Monday Night Football against the Bears.
“If it comes down to making somebody uncomfortable by speaking the truth, then I’ll always make you uncomfortable with the truth, [rather] than make you feel comfortable with a lie," Jenkins added.
In the latest edition of Vice Sports' "The Clubhouse" series, Jenkins takes his community involvement on the road with the Philadelphia Police Department. The series aired on ESPN 2 earlier this week and will appear online at ESPN.com in the coming days.