On Nov. 11, 2023, Dunning-Kruger-Times.com – a subsidiary of the “America’s Last Line of Defense” network – published an article positing that Michael Jordan, six-time NBA championship winner, had stated he wanted to “slap some sense” into former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for not being “grateful for the country that’s given them the opportunity to be famous for playing a game.” The article began:
Michael Jordan Says He’d Like to “Slap Some Sense” Into Colin Kaepernick
Basketball superstar Michael Jordan, who has grown tired of the antics of leftists, says he’d love to “slap some sense” into former quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
“He’s got such potential,” Jordan said during a very emotional phone call with ALLOD’ Tara Newhole, “I used to really look up to him.”
This item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The article originated with a website that describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature, as follows:
Everything on this website is fiction. It is not a lie and it is not fake news because it is not real. If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined. Any similarities between this site’s pure fantasy and actual people, places, and events are purely coincidental and all images should be considered altered and satirical. See above if you’re still having an issue with that satire thing.
The website creators go on to describe their readers as:
…Fragile, frightened, mostly older caucasian Americans. They believe nearly anything. While we go out of our way to educate them that not everything they agree with is true, they are still old, typically ignorant, and again — very afraid of everything.
The article was posted on Facebook, garnering 836 likes and 278 comments, at the time of this writing.
After former U.S. President Donald Trump rescinded an invitation to the White House for the Golden State Warriors in 2017, Jordan expressed solidarity with the team for players’ choice to kneel during the national anthem, saying: “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.”