The obnoxious play-acting had the intended effect in stirring yet more racial animosity. The Hill reported:

“San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid slammed Vice President Mike Pence’s walkout during his team’s game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, calling it a ‘PR stunt.’

“Reid [was] one of the players to start kneeling with then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the national anthem to protest racial inequality. . . .

“‘So this looks like a PR stunt to me. He knew our team has had the most players protest. He knew that we were probably going to do it again,’ Reid said.

“‘This is what systemic oppression looks like. A man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple of things out and leaves the game with an attempt to thwart our efforts. Based on the information I have, that’s the assumption I’ve made.’”