“Follow the money.” That is often good advice, if someone wants to find out why many individuals do what they do. It is apparently excellent advice if one wants to know why many owners of National Football League (NFL) teams do what they do.
While many heretofore NFL fans have rightly expressed disgust at the anti-patriotic statements and actions of many NFL players (and make no mistake, the protests are directed at what Colin Kaepernick, who started it all last season, contends is a racist country), are the owners any better?
Most fans would have understandably concluded that all these patriotic demonstrations before games, and sometimes during halftime shows, take place because the owners are just extremely patriotic lovers of their country. Of course, they should be lovers of this country, considering that they have been able to become very wealthy in America.
But it has now been revealed that the Defense Department has given millions of taxpayers’ dollars to NFL teams to put on a show of patriotism — including having players stand during the playing of the National Anthem. Prior to 2009, the teams remained in the locker room until the National Anthem was concluded. Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), addressing this issue in 2015, found the pay for the patriotism charade distasteful. “Those of us [who] go to sporting events and see them honoring the heroes; you get a good feeling in your heart,” Flake said to NJ.com. “Then to find out they’re doing it because they’re compensated for it, it leaves you underwhelmed. It seems a little unseemly.”
Read more at the New American.
I don’t watch football, never have never will. Why are we paying them to be patriotic in the first place and if the team owners know we are paying them to be patriotic why are they backing the big show of pissing on the flag? Stop paying them immediately and just boycott the morons.
Cut off the money!
Gee, are the Republicans and President Trump doing anything about not giving NFL money to build the very thing the NFL can build itself. Its the same thing with democrats, they give taxpayer money to businesses to move and build in my area, and these businesses are rich, rich and can build their own buildings and after the taxpayer money ends they close up and go South. And, worse few jobs come from taxpayer money being used by democrats to create jobs so they say and there sits an empty building and land. This waste of taxpayer money should be used on serious diseases that are killing our children who don’t deserve to die from these weird diseases. Or forcing democratic states to clean up their schools especially in ghetto areas and get our kids educated. I know when they get jobs they will end up paying for football tickets but at least their and others taxpayer money won’t be going to the rich, rich businesses like the NFL.
They get millions if not billion tax payer dollars every year. They use tax payer money to build the stadium, then they charge the tax payers big money to sit in a stadium, the tax payer paid for. Must be nice to own a team. I don’t think (not sure) they pay income taxes either. They should not get a penny of tax dollars, plus they need to pay taxes just like everyone else.