Facts matter: Reports that Michael Jordan called for athletes to lose medals not credible
Former Bulls star Michael Jordan was recently the subject of some strong opinions about fellow athletes.
“ANY ATHLETE WHO KNEELS FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM SHOULD LOSE THEIR MEDAL,” read a July 3 Facebook post, which included a photo of an angry-looking Jordan alongside an image of two female athletes on one knee.
The idea of kneeling during the anthem was popularized in 2016 by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to protest racial violence. Many athletes in other sports have replicated the gesture since.
But there is no evidence Jordan said this, and there are no credible supporting news reports, according to Reuters. The claim has been around for at least a year and has been reshared in various forms.
The fake posts direct users to several blogs which repeat the claim without adding much context. The blogs offer varying versions of the comment’s origin; some said Jordan offered the opinion during a high-profile interview while other reports said it was at a public appearance.
Jordan has previously talked about the protests.
In a 2017 interview with the Charlotte Observer, he said, “One of the fundamental rights this country is founded on was freedom of speech, and we have a long tradition of nonviolent, peaceful protest. Those who exercise the right to peacefully express themselves should not be demonized or ostracized.”
Trump’s condition not considered fatal
There have been recent reports about the health of President Donald Trump, but some social media posts appeared to suggest a dire situation.
A TikTok post read, “News update. Donald Trump has 4 days left,” while another post included a video with a narrator saying “The White House just announced that Trump only has four days left. Trump’s cancer is getting worse — people are posting these pictures of his ankles. Swollen ankles is the symptom of chronic venous insufficiency.”
Although the White House released information about chronic venous insufficiency affecting the 79-year-old president, it is not considered a fatal condition, according to PolitiFact.
Some images of Trump’s swollen ankles were posted while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president has a common vein condition that occurs in people over the age of 70.
Dr. Andrea Obi, a vascular surgeon at the University of Michigan Health’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center and an associate professor at University of Michigan Medical School, told PolitiFact the condition is typically considered benign.
“There is no reason to think that someone diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency has a short period of time left to live,” Obi said. “None of these disease manifestations have been linked to mortality risk.”
Leavitt addressed Trump's condition during a July 17 news conference.
“The president remains in excellent health,” she said.
Colbert’s future?
TV network CBS recently announced plans to cancel the talk show “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Some social media users have reported the future plans for host Colbert.
“Stephen Colbert GEARS UP For Explosive Move to CNN After CBS Pulls The Late Show Amid Shocking Internal Chaos, Secret Payoffs, and Allegations That Could CRASH The Network!,” read a July 18 Facebook post which was shared more than 10,000 times.
But this claim is false, according to Snopes. The post directs users to a story that only mentions the CNN move in the headline.
There are no news reports about Colbert moving to CNN and Colbert didn’t mention the plan on his show or in any of his social media accounts.
The caption on the post was run through two artificial intelligence detectors that indicated the content was AI generated, Snopes said.
Teddy bear is a prop
A disturbing July 14 post reported that a teddy bear left at a California gas station appeared to be covered in human remains. A press release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said police “responded to a suspicious circumstances call” about a “teddy bear made of what looked like human flesh” left in front of a business.
A July 16 Facebook post showed deputies investigating and asked, “What kind of twisted person would do this.”
But the post is missing context, Reuters said. The teddy bear is actually a prop. A news report followed up the original article stating that the bear is really made of latex.
Teddy bears, such as the one left at the gas station, are available for purchase from an Etsy account named Dark Seed Creations.
A spokesperson from the company told Reuters the bear is a “horror prop.”
“We are known for our realistic human skin props and costumes. The bear in question is made from latex life castings and hand sewn and assembled before being painted and detailed to resemble a realistic human skin appearance,” the spokesperson said.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.