#nflboycott

I’m officially boycotting the NFL and all affiliated merchandise and broadcasts. The ‘demonstration’ on Sunday hit me as a personal affront.  I’m US Marine Veteran, and my brother is actively serving in the US Navy.  In the 1930s, National games of every sport began playing the Anthem as a reminder that, even though our teams may be competing, we are unified, as Americans, by the sacrifices of those who had given their lives; the servicemen and women that never made it home. Last Sunday was Gold-Star Sunday, a day specifically set aside to honor the families of those who have died in service with the armed forces of America.  What an opportunity to show unity with families of every race and creed!  All the players had to do was stand and put their hands over their heart, and that would have given them the vaunted unity they apparently wanted to demonstrate. Instead, they spat in my fallen brothers faces and kicked dirt in the eyes of their families; thinking they were showing some kind of self-righteous “unity” when all they were doing was dividing.  Yes, that’s right.  Much as I dislike the man, President Trump said exactly what was going through my head in that moment, and was likely going through the minds of millions of other Americans.  And you only need to look at the immediate reactions around the nation to know I’m right. The Patriots fans booed their own team for their self-righteous posturing.  The only Pittsburgh Steeler to stand was Army Veteran #78 Alejandro Villanueva, and his jersey became the most-demanded shortly after.  Ratings for NFL games continue to slump as these over-privileged players have gotten it into their heads that they’re above criticism and above their own fans. One even went so far to say that the President’s statement (and by extension, the identical sentiments felt by millions of Americans) show “a lack of respect for the NFL and its players”.  But who was showing more disrespect?  The players spitting on our veterans, war-dead, and their families on a day dedicated to the fallen?  Or the President who was outraged at their actions?  What has the NFL done to earn my respect?  WHAT RESPECT?   I saw ZERO respect from the NFL this Sunday, save for the Dallas Cowboys and one lone Pittsburgh Steeler. There are a lot of talking heads calling the President’s statement “divisive”, but I ask you, who was doing the dividing?  This asinine and personally insulting demonstration by these teams of millionaire players and coaches is permitted as “an expression of free speech”, but the Dallas Cowboys couldn’t honor the Policemen killed in their own state, and Tim Tebow couldn’t kneel and thank his God.  Seems like a pretty narrow definition of ‘free’.  They were the divisive group, deciding that their fame and status made their political posturing a ‘righteous’ cause, when sitting at home, all I saw was contempt on a day of remembrance.