A side story throughout this years football season has been the protest actions during the National Anthem at football stadiums throughout the nation. It has been a very polarizing topic with some disagreeing with the players protest and some approving of their right to peaceful protest. This story though has a lot of people talking. This week it was announced that the NFL, who has the right to deny anyone advertising during the big game, had rejected a print ad for a veterans group in this years program. AMVET's add included the hast tag #pleasestand ... the ad was focused on asking citizens to stand for the American National Anthem, but the NFL said NO! CLICK HERE to see the ad.

In a FOX News report .....NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy defended the league's decision to ban the American Veterans' advertisement noting that the game day program "is designed for fans to commemorate and celebrate the game, players, teams and the Super Bowl." adding "It's never been a place for advertising that could be considered by some as a political statement." Further McCarthy added ... they gave American Veterans the option of changing their proposed advertisement to read, "Please Stand for our Veterans." But the NFL said they never heard back from the group.

AMVET's National Commander Marion Polk, in a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, wrote "Freedom of speech works both ways. We respect the rights of those who choose to protest, as these rights are precisely what our members have fought - and in many cases died - for," Polk wrote. "But imposing corporate censorship to deny that same right to those veterans who have secured it for us all is reprehensible and totally beyond the pale."

In my opinion this is a bad decision by the NFL! We owe our Veterans a voice! It was not a sarcastic add nor did it attack anyone ... it simply asked on behalf of our Veterans ... STAND during the presentation of colors and our nations anthem. It's amazing that standing for the National Anthem has now become a "rejected" idea.....Shame on the NFL!

How do YOU feel about the NFL's decision?

 

 

 

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