On Sunday, NBA star LeBron James Tweeted “Free Woj” in response to ESPN’s suspension of NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, who replied “F*ck You,” to a critical email from Republican Senator Josh Hawley about the NBA’s relationship with Communist China.
Still, LeBron is entirely silent about the millions in Hong Kong being oppressed by China, James’ multimillion-dollar business partner.
On July 12, James jumped to Twitter to join the “Free Woj” social media campaign:
#FreeWOJ!! 🏻🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 12, 2020
The “Free Woj” campaign started after ESPN suspended its NBA reporter because he sent the two-word message of “F*ck You” to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R, MO). The “reporter” sent the message after Hawley challenged the NBA to allow pro-police and pro-America phrases on jerseys along with the leftist social justice messages they approved last week.
However, after the reporter’s suspension, the NBA players immediately launched a campaign to force ESPN to return Wojnarowski to duty and end the suspension.
Still, while James is all hot and bothered about the ESPN reporter’s “freedom,” he seems utterly unconcerned that the Chinese government is oppressing the citizens of Hong Kong with repeated and vicious crackdowns on their freedom of speech, their freedom of assembly, and their freedom to resist beatings, imprisonment, and even death because they believe in a political ideal.
Last week, Hong Kong freedom activist Joshua Wong slammed Wojnarowski’s “F*ck You” reply to Hawley’s request to the NBA that China’s oppression is recognized.
“For those of us fighting for our very lives against Chinese repression ON A DAILY BASIS, this is a really big slap in the face. The multibillion American sports industry (including @NBA, @espn, and @KingJames) ought to stop just talking loud at home, then kowtowing to Beijing,” Wong said of Wojo’s reply to Hawley.
Meanwhile, China continues to oppress the citizens of Hong Kong. Last week, Hong Kong’s Chinese minders began deleting movies, canceling TV shows, and taking books off shelves that China feels “threaten” China’s ideology. That same day, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung told students not to sing songs that go against China’s policies.
Chinese security forces even recently began forcibly collecting DNA from accused freedom fighters so that they can more easily be arrested, tortured, and perhaps even disappeared by police because they support democracy for Hong Kong.
LeBron James has steadfastly refused to comment on China’s oppression.
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