As a Navy veteran of the Vietnam era, I am appalled that the NFL has rejected an ad by a veterans group for Super Bowl LII. Their reason is that the group AMVET is too political. The veterans group wanted to place a $30,000 full page printed ad in the program for Super Bowl LII that will be handed out to fans at Minneapolis’ US Bank Stadium when the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 4. The ad would have showed soldiers holding up Old Glory beside a message, “#Please Stand.”
Now I don’t see this as political although some wish to kneel in a protest against racism. In my opinion I see this as an act of patriotism, whereas this message is in support of all those in the military and all those veterans who have served with honor and dedication protecting all those liberties we all hold most dear today.
The NFL is just wrong and unpatriotic! Now if you want to support this Veterans organization you can by texting VETERANS to 444999. You can also go to their web site by going to AMVETS.org/Americanism. AMVETS is the most inclusive Congressionally-chartered veterans service organization in the nation and has been helping veterans since 1944.
—Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
