The disgraceful conduct of the ENTIRE Steelers Football Team (save ONE player) is over the line and is UNCONSCIONABLE.
(Before I write another line I would like to HONOR Alejandra Villanueva - the LONE STEELER FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO CHOSE TO HONOR THE AMERICAN FLAG AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. May GOD bless you, sir. MOST AMERICANS also thank you for your courage both today and for serving in the military as well. You are a hero and a TRUE AMERICAN!!)
Now, about the remainder of the Stealers (oops!) and any other NFL players who choose to dishonor (or CONTINUE TO) dishonor the American Flag and the National Anthem, whether "taking the knee" or some other form of disrespect to the colors, I find it disgraceful and outrageous that they are using a national sports platform to dishonor this nation, ALL OF ITS CITIZENS, and ALL SOLDIERS AND OTHER WHO HAVE DIED FOR THIS NATION. Yet these (GROSSLY) over-paid spoiled brats, I mean, athletes, have the gall to ACCEPT money from the very people, the very institutions, that are responsible for whatever "wrongs" these idiots are protesting. Does this sound GROSSLY OVER-HYPOCRITICAL to anyone?!! If YOU - MR. Wronged Professional Athlete - feel so badly "wronged," how can you accept this "filthy lucre" from the very people and institutions who are "WRONGING" you?
Actually the bigger and much more important question goes to owners and advertisers: Why are YOU - OWNERS - continuing to allow these people to play in the NFL? Even BIGGER - why are "SPONSORS" still sponsoring these teams? Why are advertisers still buying "spots" for game-time commercials? Owners, you have the power to demand that players NOT protest DURING football games. Why are you silent on this issue, other than Jerry Jones? Just as a bunch of office workers would be fired for stopping work to "protest" political issues that are not related to their jobs, football players should be fired for political activities during football games. Owners, your SILENCE right now is SPEAKING VOLUMES! Advertisers, any of you who were willing could stop all of this by merely threatening to pull the plug on all future commercials and sponsorships. Like the Owners, your failure to act in this matter is ECHOING LOUDLY ACROSS AMERICA!
And MOST OF ALL, if you, AMERICAN NFL FOOTBALL FAN, are even remotely outraged as you claim to be, WHY ARE YOU STILL AT THE GAME?? Why was there not a mass exodus immediately after the National Anthem was played? Why is the game still on your TV, if you are watching at home? You say that you paid for your ticket days, weeks, or months ago and, since you are here, you don't want to waste your ticket even if you ARE outraged at these players' conduct? I say the HONOR of this great nation is well worth the few dollars you would lose by leaving the football game. You say you ALWAYS watch Sunday and Thursday NFL? I say that NFL players have never forced their views on the national audience in this way before. Do you want the NFL to be a political forum? I thought you wanted to watch football. If NFL sponsors and advertisers knew that people were no longer attending or viewing football games, this politicization of football (of ANY sport, for that matter) would stop immediately. Loss of revenue would certainly trump the players' "right" to protest in such a disgraceful way on national television.
Will Owners and Advertisers step up and demand that football players cease to dishonor this great nation? Will football fans be able to overcome their game day addiction and boycott the NFL? We will have to wait for at least one more football game to see what happens. As for me, the NFL is OFF my TV and radio for the foreseeable future. If you are truly outraged, if your love for this nation overshadows your desire to watch football, I urge you to stop watching these games...AND I urge you to let the team owners and your favorite sponsors know exactly how you feel, that you are no longer watching football, and that you will no longer purchase ANY products you have seen advertised during previous football games. I think it will not take long to get the message out.
(Before I write another line I would like to HONOR Alejandra Villanueva - the LONE STEELER FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO CHOSE TO HONOR THE AMERICAN FLAG AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. May GOD bless you, sir. MOST AMERICANS also thank you for your courage both today and for serving in the military as well. You are a hero and a TRUE AMERICAN!!)
Now, about the remainder of the Stealers (oops!) and any other NFL players who choose to dishonor (or CONTINUE TO) dishonor the American Flag and the National Anthem, whether "taking the knee" or some other form of disrespect to the colors, I find it disgraceful and outrageous that they are using a national sports platform to dishonor this nation, ALL OF ITS CITIZENS, and ALL SOLDIERS AND OTHER WHO HAVE DIED FOR THIS NATION. Yet these (GROSSLY) over-paid spoiled brats, I mean, athletes, have the gall to ACCEPT money from the very people, the very institutions, that are responsible for whatever "wrongs" these idiots are protesting. Does this sound GROSSLY OVER-HYPOCRITICAL to anyone?!! If YOU - MR. Wronged Professional Athlete - feel so badly "wronged," how can you accept this "filthy lucre" from the very people and institutions who are "WRONGING" you?
Actually the bigger and much more important question goes to owners and advertisers: Why are YOU - OWNERS - continuing to allow these people to play in the NFL? Even BIGGER - why are "SPONSORS" still sponsoring these teams? Why are advertisers still buying "spots" for game-time commercials? Owners, you have the power to demand that players NOT protest DURING football games. Why are you silent on this issue, other than Jerry Jones? Just as a bunch of office workers would be fired for stopping work to "protest" political issues that are not related to their jobs, football players should be fired for political activities during football games. Owners, your SILENCE right now is SPEAKING VOLUMES! Advertisers, any of you who were willing could stop all of this by merely threatening to pull the plug on all future commercials and sponsorships. Like the Owners, your failure to act in this matter is ECHOING LOUDLY ACROSS AMERICA!
And MOST OF ALL, if you, AMERICAN NFL FOOTBALL FAN, are even remotely outraged as you claim to be, WHY ARE YOU STILL AT THE GAME?? Why was there not a mass exodus immediately after the National Anthem was played? Why is the game still on your TV, if you are watching at home? You say that you paid for your ticket days, weeks, or months ago and, since you are here, you don't want to waste your ticket even if you ARE outraged at these players' conduct? I say the HONOR of this great nation is well worth the few dollars you would lose by leaving the football game. You say you ALWAYS watch Sunday and Thursday NFL? I say that NFL players have never forced their views on the national audience in this way before. Do you want the NFL to be a political forum? I thought you wanted to watch football. If NFL sponsors and advertisers knew that people were no longer attending or viewing football games, this politicization of football (of ANY sport, for that matter) would stop immediately. Loss of revenue would certainly trump the players' "right" to protest in such a disgraceful way on national television.
Will Owners and Advertisers step up and demand that football players cease to dishonor this great nation? Will football fans be able to overcome their game day addiction and boycott the NFL? We will have to wait for at least one more football game to see what happens. As for me, the NFL is OFF my TV and radio for the foreseeable future. If you are truly outraged, if your love for this nation overshadows your desire to watch football, I urge you to stop watching these games...AND I urge you to let the team owners and your favorite sponsors know exactly how you feel, that you are no longer watching football, and that you will no longer purchase ANY products you have seen advertised during previous football games. I think it will not take long to get the message out.
