A veterans group says the National Football League is censoring them because of their decision not to allow their ad in the commemorative program for the upcoming Super Bowl.
The group, AMVETS, was planning to run an ad with the hash tag 'Please Stand,' responding to player protests over the national anthem. Joe Chenelly with AMVETS told KTRH why the NFL turned them down.
“They told us they did not want to take a position on this hot button issue. But it’s our opinion that by rejecting our ad they did take a position,” Chenelly explained.
The NFL claims they wanted the group to make a change to the advertisement, and that AMVETS missed a deadline.
“We met all the deadlines. In the end we told them no. In their statement they said we didn’t get back to them. We did get back to them. We told them no,” Chenelly said.
And Leo Shane with the Military Times says those in the military aren't happy about this.
“I have heard from a lot of folks who are upset that the NFL would stop AMVETS from getting what seems to be a pretty calm message out there related to this,” Shane explained, adding that he has heard from people in the military on the other side of the issue as well.
The NFL says the program will have an ad from the VFW which will simply state 'We Stand for Veterans.'