Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan has said he finds Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan insulting during an interview dealing with race in America.
“To me, it was a trigger word,” McMillan, who is black, told the Indianapolis Star. “Make America ‘great’ ... again? What part are you talking about trying to bring America back to? When was it great? The ‘again’ part was pretty much what he has done, which is pit white against black. [Trump] has fueled this thing, the way he has led. Why not just make America great? It’s never been great for us. I want to know what period of time he’s talking about.”
Several of the Pacers players have taken part in the anti-racism marches that have swept across America – and the world – since the police killing of George Floyd in May. McMillan said he hopes the resulting discussions on race will bring about meaningful change.
“As black people, we’ve always referred to ‘the system.’ The system is keeping us down. We really never explained what this system was but we knew there was a system in place that would prevent us from getting a fair shake,” McMillan said. “People are fed up with what is going on. We’re trying to create a new America. What we’ve been experiencing on both sides, both white and black, is old America. We want a new America.”
McMillan has spoken about Trump’s slogan in the past. “A great America is not something people of color have ever known, and it’s time to change that,” he said earlier this month.
The Pacers have clinched a playoff place and will be in action again when the NBA season resumes at the end of July in Orlando.
