Just Stand

            Approximately two years ago former National Football League (NFL) player Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the presentation of the U.S. flag and the National Anthem in an effort to protest cop brutality and a nation that permits it. He was later joined by other NFL players. It was a slap in the face for all Americans who love America and support the military and first responders.

            Americans made it plain that they did not approve of the behavior. Millions of dedicated football fans stopped going to the games or even watching them on television. Many of them even went so far as to burn all their NFL clothing and other objects. Attendance at the games plunged, but NFL leaders and players did not seem to care.

            Recently Nike put Kaepernick in the spotlight and made him the face of their “Just Do It” campaign. Once again, Americans acted. The boycott of Nike caused the brand lose billions of dollars in the stock market and a “double-digit drop in favorability.” While Americans fumed and boycotted Nike, one veteran launched a counteroffensive against Nike. 

Army Captain (ret.) Tyler Merritt is the CEO of Nine Line Apparel. And they’ve already sold tens of thousands of gear from their “Just Stand” line. One post featured Mark “Oz” Geist, a former U.S. Marine who was part of the Benghazi compound security team, was featured wearing their t-shirt, while carrying an AR-15. He’s an American hero. Period. Four Americans died during that tragic terror attack, which included Ambassador Chris Stevens. It remains a source of controversy from the days of the Obama administration six years ago, which swore that al-Qaeda was on the run.

Nike took a stand. “This is ours,” said Merritt in a statement. “They will never understand what it’s like to lose a friend overseas, carry him back home with an American flag draped over his casket, and hand that flag over to his wife and children. Taking a knee during the National Anthem is a sign of disrespect to all those throughout our country’s history who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to secure the blessings of freedom.”

            The company took its name – Nineline – from “the military code word for getting wounded soldiers off the battlefield.” It started in Merritt’s garage and is now housed in a 60,000-square-foot building. It produces “a complete range of patriotic apparel” and will most likely employ more than 200 people by the end of 2018.

            Patriotism is at the heart of Nineline. Their products come in “four basic categories: patriots, veterans, first responders and Second Amendment.” Their shirts have “slogans like `All Rifles Matter’; `Stomp My Flag, I’ll Stomp Your A_ _’; `I stand with the American Flag’; and `Faith, Family, Friends, Flag and Firearms.”

            It is good to boycott any individual or company that disrespects Old Glory. It is also good to support those who respect the flag and anthem of our nation. If you are in the market for shirts, please consider purchasing one from Nineline.

Taking a Knee

            The National Football League (NFL) is in trouble, but it apparently does not realize how bad their situation is. The powers that be in the NFL decided to allow football players to show disrespect to the national anthem, and now they are seeing the consequences but not recognizing them. American citizens have been patient but are now fighting back.

            Breitbart posted the following statement on their Facebook page and an accompanying picture of a partially empty football stadium.

Dear NFL: We will not support millionaire ingrates who hate America and disrespect our Armed Forces and Veterans. Who wins a football game has ZERO impact on our lives. Who fights for and defends our nation has EVERY impact on our lives. We stand with the Heroes, not a bunch of rich, entitled, arrogant, ungrateful, anti-American degenerates. Signed, We the People.

            Among the commenters on this post, this writer saw calls to boycott the NFL. There were also calls to boycott the sponsors of the NFL, stating that the sponsors will pull their support from the NFL if their investment stopping paying dividends.

            These commenters seem to know what they are doing. Kim Smith at Conservative Tribune posts two pictures of stadiums in Los Angeles and San Francisco with many empty seats and shares the following thoughts. 

Nevertheless, with the NFL seemingly encouraging players – or at the very least giving a pass to players who protest the national anthem, that trend may be diminishing. Many fans have expressed their frustration with the league by turning off their televisions and choosing not to attend games.

Last week was the first week of the league games, and one of the first things people noticed was empty seats in the stadiums.

Empty seats in stadiums indicate a serious problem for the NFL. When stadium bleachers have gaping holes where fans should be sitting, it looks especially bad. It indicates that fans do not care enough to pay for a ticket and watch their favorite teams play.

Empty seats also hit the multi-million dollar franchise where it hurts – the pocketbook.

            People were staying away from the games previously, but now President Donald Trump has called for a boycott of NFL until the players stop the disrespectful behavior.

 If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our country, you will see change take place fast….Fire or suspend!

            Is the President right? Would the disrespect of the anthem stop if the owners and coaches made a stand? The Dallas Cowboys team is a good example of what happens when the owner and coach set the appropriate example in word and behavior. The owner and coach of the Cowboys shared their feelings last season, and as far as this writer knows, no Dallas player has taken a knee during the anthem. Last September Cowboy owner Jerry Jones made this statement.

We strongly, strongly support the flag. In every way, we support – it’s almost ridiculous to be saying it – the people that for generations and generations have given it all up so we can get out here and show off in front of millions of people on television. We respect that so much. That’s the real business.

The forum of the NFL and the forum on television is a very significant thing. I’m for it being used in every way we can to support the great, great contributors in our society and that’s people that have supported America, the flag, and there’s no reason not to go all out right there. For anybody to use parts of that visibility to do otherwise is really disappointing.

At the Cowboy training camp held in Oxnard, California, in August 2017, Jason Garratt, the Cowboy coach, held a news conference at which he spoke about the national anthem protests.

There’s no question in my mind. The national anthem is sacred. Our flag is sacred. And our team has demonstrated that….

We’re so fortunate to live in the country that we live in. It’s a great tradition. It’s a great song. In a lot of cases it can become an emotional situation for all of us. You think about all the people who have fought for our country and allowed us to raise that flag as proudly as we do, to live in the greatest land in the world. It’s a special moment for all of us. We want to make sure we handle it the right way.

            The Cowboy players are standing out of respect for the anthem, the flag, and those who have fought to protect and preserve our freedoms, or they are standing to protect their jobs. Either way, the Cowboys are showing a good example to the rising generation, and they are being rewarded by the fans who are filling their stadium. Other football franchises could learn from the Cowboys – or they can continue to bleed fans as a result of having no spine.